The Story Of A Girl - First Year
by TheBetrayerOfAzkaban
Summary: Harry Potter never existed. Instead, Cassiopeia Heather Potter is the Girl-Who-Lived. How will this affect the timeline? Semi-bashing!Dumbledore; Some (Not ALL) Weasley Bashing; Girl!HarryPotter; Not decided pairing (YET); Good!Malfoys; Good!Petunia; OOC!Snape; LadyPotter; Smart!HarryPotter
1. Prologue

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, lived a girl. She was little, so little that her parents often call her their little munchkin. Of course, she was only two years old, but even then, she was smaller than most of the babies, including her chubby sand-haired cousin, Neville. She had big green eyes, framed by long curved brown eyelashes, and handfuls of bright red hair in her pale white head. She was born in the last day of July, and her parents were very anxious for her arrival.

 _Two mans were in the waiting room of the nursery of St. Mungos. One was sitting on the furthest chair, and the other was pacing fast and nervous._

\- _I can't wait Sirius, and she won't let me inside. Last time I tried, I was on the end of a Stinging Hex!_

 _The oldest man laughed, wrinkles in the sides of his blue deep eyes._

\- _Stop walking around, you will open a hole in the floor. Moony will be here soon._

 _James Potter stopped, and look seriously to the oldest Black son._

\- _You think we can trust him?_

 _Sirius was nothing but serious when he looked deep into the hazel eyes._

 _-_ _I would trust Remus my own life._

 _Months after, they both discovered this was a lie._

The shape of her face and her other features, in opposite, were like her deceased grandmother Dorea Black-Potter, making her Uncle Paddy very jokingly call her "daughter" (when she called him Daddy, her Daddy cursed him. Her Mummy and Uncle Moony found it all very amusing.).

\- _She looks more like me than you, Prongs. People will talk!_

 _The animagus dog laughed hard, looking to the little baby in the arms of the wife of his best friend. He was suddenly hitted in the head by an amused werewolf._

\- _Sirius! - Lilly said in a mock tone of recrimination - She have James'... James'... James'... Smile!_

 _All friends laughed, and the male Potter looked stunned, yet happy._

 _\- If she calls you dad, I will kill you._

 _\- If she is my goddaughter and your daughter, she will do exactly that._

 _Both of the man laughed more, all the war forgotten and gone in their minds._

In the world the little girl lived there was a lot of horrors, war, misjudgments and preconceived notions. The adult people liked Preconceived Notions, they call that horrible things, "opinions''. But not opinions about how to end hungriness, or poverty, or slavery, drugs, hate, abuse and genocide.

 _\- Are you sure?_

 _\- Yes, Sirius. You're too... obvious. We can't risk they using Regulus against you._

 _Both friends knew that this wasn't the only excuse. Sirius was a Black, and Black were naturally attracted to dark. Regulus was just a way to not hurt the feelings of the oldest, and it was a lie to both of them._

 _\- Peter will not broke in any circumstance, I will make sure of that._

 _\- I'm sure he will not. I trust you, Padfoot._

 _It was a lie. They both knew it. The moment they alienated Remus, less they trusted in anybody, which included each other. Past were the days when they tell everything to one another, past were the friendly meetings. One of the Order was a spy._

But she does not know nothing about IT. IT is too the big war happening outside her cradle and outside their pacific house. Outside the ghostly silver stag that sleeps in her chest, outside the bubbles that her mom does with her wand, and the laugh of Uncle Moony and Uncle Padfoot when they prank Daddy. It's far away from the fake scowls of her Mummy, and behind layers of love and peace.

 _The laugh of the married couple were a little too fake, a little too carried with worry. Peter would not break, they trusted their old friend. But the Dark Lord was stronger and smarter, and could always discover a way to break Fidelius._

 _They didn't know if Remus was alive, or Sirius, or Frank, Alice and Neville. The last time they talked with anyone was weeks ago, and their food supply was brought by a Potter elf. Charlus and Dorea were dead since before the birth of their daughter, and their best friends were long gone and hiding._

 _Maybe that was an error, but everything could be mended after that horrible man was dead and buried, hoping they were all alive and kicking._

The news about IT came by an old man, with hair who carry hints of an auburn hair that turned grey with stress and age. His blue eyes were always sparkling behind his glasses, and he had old wrinkles, from laugh and sorrow. The little girl didn't like him; he always sounds very fake. Her parents, Mummy and Daddy, were always nervous when the news went by. They had fought in IT, but no longer since she was born.

 _Albus Dumbledore was a clever, wise man. But he committed errors, and in one of them, he created a villain, a villain worse than the last one. And now, he just didn't know how to overthrow it. The man didn't have any debt with him, neither humanity enough to be sane or moral._

 _So he researched, and discovered how to make a protective spell, that could be activated just by less than five years' magic children born in a specific lunar circle._

 _He created a prophecy, with a false prophetess and a teenager death eater spy to make a bait to the Dark Lord, and said to himself that it was for the Greater Good. It was this children, or the future of all the magic world._

 _That night, after he placed the spell in two babies, telling their parents lies, he cried himself to sleep._

Her Mummy was a tall and beautiful woman, with auburn hair and green eyes, just like her. Her skin had a light color to it, since before the IT, she used to pass all her free time in the library. She had a lot of freckles, who looked a bit like someone had just spilled points of paint in her face. She had callous in the hands, and a small scar in the back, from when she worked as an Unspeakable and had an assignment in Japan (samurais are very powerful). Also had a beautiful smile, with a laugh that could illuminate rooms.

 _\- Lillian is the most beautiful person in the entire world! – The man sighed, dropping himself in the couch_

 _\- We know, James. Be sure of it, we know. Now get yourself out of the seat, you will wrinkle your suit. – Said Remus, in a deadpanned voice._

 _The friends laughed. The Potter Heir was whipped by his soon-to-be wife._

 _(…)_

 _\- I knew it from the first year, all that bickering…. – Started Sirius, in the discourses._

 _-…. James couldn't stop talking about Lily…... – Said Remus, in his turn._

 _-… They were like an old married couple… and now they're one! ... – Peter laughed._

 _-… I always thought it was endearing, even with Mr. Potter being so immature…. – A "Call me James, Minnie", could be heard from the newly married couple table._

Before the little girl sleep, Mummy would tell her tales of beautiful dragons and courageous plebeian girls, who fought through false friends and difficult traps, saving the smart prince in the end. More often than not, she would sing too, sing the praises of the gods and ancient heroes, a lullaby that drifts the youngster to sleep.

 _\- What do you wanna hear today, my little lioness?_

 _The mother beamed at her daughter, seeing the youngster point straight at a medieval story, about Lady Boudicca, who was a barbarian witch who could tame dragons._

 _"In AD 60 or 61, while the current muggle governor of Rome Empire, Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, was leading a campaign against the magic island of Mona in the north of Wales, which was a refuge for British magic refugees, that didn't want to be used or slaved because of their powers, and a stronghold of the druids, the Iceni conspired with their neighbors, the Trinovantes, amongst others, to revolt. Boudicca was chosen as their leader. The history records that she addressed her army with these words, "It is not as a woman descended from noble ancestry, but as one of the people that I am avenging lost freedom, my scourged body, the outraged chastity of my daughters," and concluded, "This is a woman's resolve; as for men, they may live and be slaves." According to Mathilda Bagshot (great-great-great-great-great grandmother of Bathilda Bagshot), they drew inspiration from the example of Arminius, the prince of the Cherusci who had driven the Romans out of Germany in AD 9, and their own ancestors who had driven Julius Caesar from Britain. The books say that at the outset Boudicca employed a form of divination, releasing a hare from the folds of her dress…..."_

 _The redhead woman always liked powerful woman, liking just one fairytale in her short life: The Hunchback of Notre Dame, who, in core, wasn't even a fairytale._

 _She smiled, looking at her baby drifting to sleep._

Her Daddy was taller than Mummy, and his skin was darker. His eyes were a profound hazel, with a trickster shine that make her Mummy always blame him about pranks (more than not, Uncle Paddy had set everything). His hair was messy, and black, like a nest of birds. He also had round shaped glasses and used lazy clothes. He used to work as an Auror, who is like a very important magic policeman, and its why his shoulders are always stiff and he was always so ready for a battle (but she didn't know that).

 _\- Who is my precious little girl?_

 _The baby gave him a toothless smile, closing her eyes. The man smiled, happy, and passed the girl to the man on his left._

 _\- Sirius, I want you to be the godfather._

 _A surprised smile appeared on his face, a shocked expression short after._

 _\- Me? Remus is more responsible…. And I... I am a Black, James… You know what people say about me behind my back: Reckless, destined to madness and darkness…._

 _James put a comfort hand in the shoulder of his oldest friend, and looked seriously into his scared eyes, who eyed briefly the package in his arms, the little human life with big green eyes looking for his own._

 _\- You know I don't care about this bullshit. And you know Remus can never be her godfather, not because I don't trust him, but because the laws would never permit. We plan to overthrow this laws someday, and then have a child to be Remus'…_

 _\- Only if it comes from your belly, Potter. I'll think three times before get pregnant again._

 _James laughed, and walked to his just waked wife, smiling proud towards her._

 _Sirius Black looked at the child in his arms, so similar to him, and in the same time, so more beautiful._

 _He knew, that was his goddaughter._

Daddy use tell the little girl tales about four wizard friends who turned into animals and pranked very bad people. Her Mummy doesn't like it, she uses to tell her about a poor teenager who, misunderstood, was treated like trash by the pranksters, and ended up distancing his only friend and associating with evil people.

 _\- You will not tell her lies, James. You know it's not Severus fault!_

 _\- You don't talk with him anymore! He is a death eater, Lily!_

 _The fierce woman scowled._

 _\- It's your fault too! He never did anything to you, and you alienated and bullied him so much that this lead him to almost kill himself!_

 _\- I was immature and wrong, but I did NOT obligate him to go to the Dark Lord. I did NOT draw the mark that he carries with pride. Any good Snape that you knew once is gone!_

 _Lily ran from the room, crying._

The girl was very clever. She knew that most of stories had truth in them, and knew that the tears that dropped from the eyes of her mother, or the regret in the face of Daddy, weren't made up, neither because of a tale.

 _\- I know we were wrong about Sni-… Snape, Remus. But how much?_

 _\- I think it's beyond any recovery, James. I think we broke a good boy into pieces, and he put himself being bad. I think that we alienate a boy who was alienate in his own house, and we cause a lack of trust and a connection based only in hate and hurt._

 _The younger covered his face with both hands, dropping his glasses on the floor, the regret overwhelming his whole self._

The family lived in a house, comfortable for the three of them. It had mahogany floor, and white/light golden walls. Portraits of castles and waterfalls hanging from above the fireplace and in the sides of the stairs that lead to the three big rooms make the place full of live. The building was purchased by Charlus Potter, and was a marriage present.

 _\- What do you think, Lily-flower? Is a bit dusty, but nothing that Sparrow cannot fix?_

 _Lily look amazed towards the house, smiling. Her white marriage dress was uncomfortable, and she loved even more her parents-in-law. She would hate have to tell her sister to leave the house where they were raised, and where she now lived with her husband and their son, and was the redhead's by law._

 _She kissed James, and he pulled her in his arms, carrying her into the hall, while the laugh fills the space and echoed through the emptiness._

One night, the little girl was in the carpet playing with little bubbles that circled her, a silvery doe and a silvery stag playing around her, while her Mummy and Daddy sat in front of the fireplace, laughing to themselves. They both wore red and yellow sweaters, and forgot for a moment about the stress and everything.

 _-_ _James…_

 _\- What, Lily-flower?_

 _\- I'm so happy we are here. We, our beautiful daughter…_

 _The man hugged the redhead fiercely, kissing the top of her head._

 _\- And we will grow old, and watch her, and any other child we have, marry, and have her own sons and daughter, if they want._

If they had looked outside the window, they would saw a human figure, hiding behind a tree. Its face and body were covered by a black cloak, with a hood that only let show two red dots: his eyes, and a sharp smile with pointy teeth.

 _\- My Lord…_

 _The dark lord rolled his eyes, bored by the presence of the other man._

 _\- What, Wormtail?!_

 _\- I… I was made the secret-keeper of the Potters, Milord._

 _Voldemort laughed. He knew the little blood traitor (and now betrayer of his own called friends) would be useful._

The figure float, his feet barely touching the floor. He entered the wards, feeling the power run inside his veins and beneath his blood. Then, one explosive hex towards the door, and he was inside the house.

\- Lily, grab her and go!

A flash of red hair grabbed the little girl and ran towards the stairs, hiding in her room and locking the door with all the spells she knew. Then, two Patronus were sent, one for Sirius and one for Dumbledore. Putting the baby in the cradle, she put herself in place for battle. Lily could listen everything downstairs.

\- EXPELLIARMUS!

\- PROTEGO MAXIMUM!

\- BOMBARDA!

\- SANGUI EXPELLUM!

\- GLACIUS!

\- SANGUI GLACIARE!

\- MORTUUS PELLIS!

\- AVADA KEDAVRA!

The silence was deafening, but no more that the muffled sound of her husband falling into the floor, dead. One tear fell from across her cheek, and dripped on the floor. She could listen the footsteps in the stairs, almost mocking slow.

The door opened with a soft click, none of her spells securing no second more. She could see a face of a man beyond the cape. It was a brown haired, aristocratic one, with no more than thirty years, mad red eyes looking to her, smiling.

\- Get out of the way, mud-blood. I have no desire to kill you, just the baby.

\- Please, please, not my baby….

\- Out. Of. The. Way.

\- Please, she is just a baby, she could do you no harm…

\- OUT!

\- Please, not her, not my baby…

The green killing course was left the white hand, to the middle of Lily's chest, her body bumping into the ground.

The baby wondered why her Mummy was sleeping on the floor. It must be the green light, one of that spells that Daddy use to put her to sleep, maybe?

\- Oh, you're a clever one, aren't you? You aren't scared of me, little lioness?

A boring look was settled in the eyes of the little girl.

\- You are too powerful. I can't let you live…. AVADA KEDAVRA!

The green light bump into the girl's forehead, and she was a little blind for a minute, before the man before her bumped into the floor.

She felt very, very sleepy, and never saw her godfather lending her to Albus Dumbledore, or the old man taking her to the house of her aunt.

 _Dumbledore knew that now that Voldemort was destroyed (and by the little hands of the last Potter), the girl would be a celebrity._

 _He could not let her grow up knowing she was more powerful and loved that he never would be. He could not let her grow sly, and cunning, and ambitious, knowing how to use her fame._

 _So, he didn't let Sirius carry the child, neither let McGonagall._

 _He apparated in Surrey, taking the baby, in a nest, with a lot of warming spells, into the doorstep of her aunt, who hated anything magical, and would raise her needing love and hating anything dark. Someone suggestible, weak._

What Dumbledore didn't know, is that Petunia Dursley wanted a daughter to create and transform in a perfect little lady (didn't matter that she was exactly like her mother: Her stunning looks would make it even easier), and Cassiopeia Heather Potter (and Black, but she do not know this _yet_ ).


	2. Childhood

Petunia waked up to the sound of a small cry in her doorstep. She always had been an early person, sometimes waking before the sun, even when she worked outside (before Dudley, and the news that she could never had another child, because her uterus was damaged beyond repair. It seems to be the right decision to enjoy her only son's childhood).

The sweet cry was obviously a baby (and where nothing like the annoying screams of her adorable Duddykins). She jumped out of bed, not even careful enough to not wake up Vernon, and ran down the stairs like she was a teenager again, her blonde hair in a mess of waves behind she, and her barefoot feet avoiding the toys all around the house.

She slides by the rug, and with shaking hands ( _"Maybe my wish has finally been heard? Maybe this is the little girl I longed for so long? Maybe someone out there is looking for me, after all"_ ), she unlocked the door.

Wrapped in a nest of warm colorful blankets, was a baby exactly like her sister. It didn't remember, nothing at all, her father (he was a quite remarkable man, and she had only saw her brother-in-law one before). A letter was clutched in her small hands. _Her_. It was a _girl._ Her _niece._

Still shocked, she picked up the letter, reading it numbly. Her loved Lily was dead, and she didn't have the chance to say goodbye or sorry for all that past years in their childhood.

But, in her front, was her chance of redemption. Her niece, Cassiopeia. Her niece, and now, she knew, her daughter too. Lily putted that child into the world, a small blessing for her sister. And she would create the baby like her own, would raise it like the Lady she would be, the powerful woman that need only herself.

She knew Vernon would do anything for her, including take this child (and, on the depths of his heart, he wanted a daughter of his own too).

Picking the girl in her arms, and hugging her next to her chest, feeling the soft beats of her hearts, her small hands clutching her hair, the green eyes looking right back into the woman's souls. She knew. She knew right then and there that no harm would come to this child, and the baby would be someday the most intelligent, powerful and beautiful witch that the idiot wizard kind would ever see.

She climbed the stairs, and saw, on top of it, her husband. He was starting to gain a few pounds, and in held no resemblance to the muscled quarterback she met on Battersea College of Technology. His once strong jaw gave place to layers and layers of fatness, because, in majority, of his bad habits and horrible turns in Grunnings.

Her husband sleepy face changed into a wide-eye look in mere minutes. Vernon was not dumb, despite the appearances. He figured out. The red hair wasn't common, neither that bright, full of power, green color in the child's eyes.

\- We are going to keep her. – Petunia said, with a firm tone that didn't admit arguments – Cassiopeia is my sister's, my _deceased sister_ , only heir and prole. She doesn't have anybody in this world or in her parents', and I will not drop her elsewhere. – After she sees her husband still not convinced face, she continues - This baby is getting Dudley second room, _after_ a good reform. You know that I've always wanted a daughter, Vernon. And deep down, you want one too.

\- She is not one of these… _freaks_ , is she?

A loud clap was heard, and then Vernon's left cheek had a red mark with a delicate hand shape.

\- Don't dare call my sister a _freak_ , or her prole, or any of her associates. She was killed trying to stop a madman to kill all people who doesn't have a _magical lineage,_ and I suppose that means _lordship_ , and are magical themselves. This girl, Vernon, this baby in my arms, is the only survivor of _more_ than one lineage, the only survivor from a _MASSACRE_.

The man looked taken back, and Petunia put her hand in her mouth noting that she had just shouted the last word, high enough for anybody in the street to hear. So, the woman shook her head slightly, and walked to their room, putting the girl, who had a curious look in her face (Cassiopeia wasn't familiar with screams), in the bed and going to Dudley's room: The boy had just started crying.

Passing by her astonished husband in her way to her son's bedroom, she scowled.

\- And no harm should come above her, and no prejudice. Neither any lessening or bad habit. She will be a perfect lady, and a woman of her own. If you try anything Vernon, if you even ever look her in a wrong way, I will ask for divorce, and you know that this house is mine, and the law will be on my side about Dudley's guardianship.

To say the man was scared, if not a bit angry, was an understatement.

 _(Six Years Later)_

Cassiopeia is now eight years old. Her hair, filled with her magic, was now almost touching her thighs, soft curls making it look angelical. Petunia never had cut it, because in Lily's journals, founded in the attic during her search for more information, there was a passage about a wizard pure blood custom that said the magic of a witch resided in her hair, and it was a sign of nobility and power never cut them.

The older woman also knew that the wizard world was full of bigotry and hate, if the scowls that she received at Lily's marriage meant anything. Maybe a sign of the "old ways" (and a lot of etiquette and basic lessons about their world) would make them more favorable to a "half-blood" (and why the books in Lily's old trunk talk about people like they were horses?)

She was a smart girl, and knew how to read and write already, with a pen and a quill (her aunt make sure that was so).

Petunia was teaching her (and trying with Dudley) how to behave while eating, how to be a good hostess, how to sit and talk (and make a mask to cover her deepest secrets, manipulate the words and discover things without it being too obvious, but that lessons were not spoken out loud). Cassy was in piano, harp and singing classes, and her aunt was planning to put her in flute or violin this year (maybe even the oboe, although it wasn't the usual instrument for a lady).

She was also in several dance classes (waltz and ballet), and with the money send to take care of her, Petunia payed not only a good primary school, but all this private lessons too.

This year, the blond woman also would be sure to put her into swimming classes, and running team. While that was happening, she was teaching her, the best she could, about the magical world.

Lily didn't leave a lot of books, but she did leave all her stuff until third year, introductory books for muggle-borns, and rests of potion's kits, quills, parchment and ink. She leaved a lot of journals too, with instructions and detailed descriptions about Diagonal Alley, Hogwarts, Gringots and Hogsmeade.

The redhead also left a lot of moving pictures, an entire album. Some of them showed (a lot of times by accident) a group of four boys, one that Petunia recognized as James, and another who share some, to not say a lot, of similarities with Cassy, and if the older woman wasn't wrong, was the best-man of her parents, and two sand haired man. The taller had scars in his face, while the shorter looked a bit scrawny, and constantly afraid. The caption in the pictures usually said " _James Potter, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew_ , _Marauders_ ".

Also featured a lot of pictures with Lily in her red and golden robes [the four-house system looked a bit prejudiced. Petunia wondered whether separating children by such adult characteristics (many of them still would not have developed such traits at age eleven) made them into caricatures].

The boy who was often by her side used green and silver robes (the woman was not at all surprised that Lily had seen through the layers of rivalry based on… well, based on the rivalry of two old, dead and buried mans), and she remembered him from the neighborhood. He was the one to tell Lily everything about magic. The tag above his pictures were named with " _Severus Snape_ , _best friend extraordinaire and half-blood prince_ ", often with a date too, or at less a year.

In the pictures, often other people appeared: a girl with a pixie-like hair who always appeared with a studious looking guy ( _"Alice and Frank, it took you long enough!_ ); a slightly older redhead couple (" _Prefects Molly and Arthur, they will be great parents someday"_ ); three or four years' older twins ( _"The Prewett Twins, seventh years and up to something")_ ; a blond couple, with greyish blue eyes ( _"Narcissa Black and Lucius Malfoy, they don't see too prejudiced")_ ; a girl with curly black hair and violet eyes hugging a brown haired older teenager girl, a bored looking younger boy in the middle of them. The blond girl and the best-man of James were there too ( _"Sirius gave me when I asked about his family. Narcissa Black, Andromeda Black, Bellatrix Black, Regulus Black and himself");_ another blond couple was featured, with a brown haired boy always smiling in between and the older teenager from Sirius' family ( _"The best of friends: Ted Tonks, Andromeda Black, Xenophilius Lovegood and Pandora Malfoy. I bet Lucius and Bellatrix aren't happy with the developments")._

Petunia snapped out of her thoughts as heavy footsteps came from the stairs. Behind them, lighter and smooth small steps followed.

\- Good Morning Mom! – The voice of her son was too high, and he was getting fat, like his father. She repressed herself of correct the child in front of Cassy, or Dudley could get envious of her.

Cassiopeia Heather Potter was everything Dudley Dursley wasn't. She was polite, tidy, refined and always talked in an audible, paused and educated tone. She dedicated herself to learn and practice. Have just a few friends, maybe, because she was advanced for her pairs. That didn't make her depressed or repressed, she played like any normal child, and laugh with the same cartoons that Dudley.

\- Good Morning Aunt Petunia – Said the girl. Unlike Dudley, who was in his pajamas and slippers, she had showered up and was dressed in a blue summer dress, a white ribbon avoiding that her hair obscures her face. A pair of perfectly polished black patent-leather shoes matched the short white socks, and on her neck, a blue medallion that once belonged to her maternal grandmother hangs.

She never taught the redhead to call her mom. It seemed to be disrespectful to Lily's memory.

\- Good morning darlings. Sit down, the breakfast will be ready in minutes. What are you going to do today? – It was Sunday, neither of them had class, so, if their homework was finished, they could do whatever they want, if they didn't leave the neighborhood.

\- I´m going to read, and practice some ballet in Chandler's house. Duke and McNamara will be there too, and maybe Veronica. Then maybe we will watch some Disney' movies. – Cassy smiled to her aunt, while Petunia put some eggs with toast and jam in her plate.

\- All these girls named Heather, I´m sure they will form a powerful trio someday. – The three Heathers were daughters of rich man, and lived near there in big houses. They were as close as sisters, Chandler being the obvious leader. They, and Veronica Sawyer, had ballet classes with Cass, and she was like an unofficial Heather too, seeing her second name was, indeed, Heather. – And you Duddykins?

\- Mum, don't call me Duddykins! – She laughed briefly to his protest, and a soft laughter was hide by the sound of orange juice being carefully dropped in a cup – I´m going to play videogames with Polkins!

Mentally, Petunia scowled a bit at her son's choice of acquaintances, but again, didn't say anything.

\- And Cassy, we are going to have a talk about your piano's teacher hair. - There was a smirk in the face of the girl, but even Petunia couldn't help but think that the old grumpy lady did deserve the blue hair.

 ** _And as the days past by, Dudley turned even more like his father, and Cassiopeia could be confunded with a pureblood witch, the perfect lady. Petunia loved them both, but grew closer to the girl, teaching her anything that could help her. Vernon in most ignored the girl, and praised at his son with fury._**

It was Cassiopeia birthday. Her cousin had been five weeks ago, and he had won a lot of gifts, about fifteen. She knew what was coming for her, too, like every year (they coudn't really hide anything from her).

Her hair now was in the middle of her thighs, and her skin was smoother and whiter (she didn't like sun). To the grand day, she was dressed with a purple summer dress, white silk short gloves and socks, a pair of velvety black shoes, with low heels. A white lace secured her hair in the base of her head, something she learned from the Little Mermaid, her favorite Disney movie (even, after memorizing all her mom's books by heart, she knew that mermaids were nothing like that).

She knew she would receive ten luxury dresses of her aunt (five for summer, five for winter), more gloves and socks and shoes and ribbons, made of fur, velvet and leather. She had seen the beautiful fur black coat her aunt bought in the name of her uncle (with his money, too). Also, she would receive a pet (probably a magical one, when she receive her letter). She saw books too, and a kit of make up with a big hair brush.

And, yes, after all, the Hogwarts letter. Her introduce to this new world (although her aunt didn't have problems teaching her, she didn't want to enter the place who reject her and risk feel envy of her niece).

When she entered the living room and saw the owl, she smiled.

 ** _And this is the start of our story._**


	3. The Letter

**First, thanks to all the favs and followers. I know I'm just a beginner, this is my first story, and I don't speak English fluently, but I'm trying really hard (leave reviews and ideas to improve, and things you wanna see too).**

 **Also, who do you wanna our little girl with? Maybe George (I'm a huge fan of shini-amaryliis), or Draco? Even maybe some other older Weasley. or Cedric. Of course, just above third or fourth year.**

 **I'm in a bit of problem to decide her house too (Slythindor, or Slyvenclaw?)**

 **Special kudos for all this little pandas:**

 **Carrie's Demise** **(your name means what I think it means? bloody awesome)**

 **Cholo Palai** **(India? I love indian music)**

 **GinryuFox** **(I think that you have some anime reference here but I sucks at it, except for Naruto, but I guess your fox doesn't have nine tails)**

 **Sakura Lisel** **(Lisel like in the Book Thief? Sakura ^^)**

 **SineNominae** **(guess this is latin)**

 **SophiaQuinn** **(Like in Harley Quinn?)**

 **TIGGRAIN** **(I can only think on Pooh.)**

 **krr84** **(guess you put your passcode in the name)**

 **moongirljc** **(Moon, girl... Luna or Sailor?)**

 **scottmatthew190** **(Oh hello boy who put his own name, i think)**

 **QueenRhiannon (thanks for advice girl)**

 **And all the other people who review or favorite, so well I'm sorry if I didn't put your name, I'm writing this in advance**

 **so, let's start ^^**

Cassiopeia Heather Potter, for all we saw until now, is a very well behaved girl, with perfect manners, also clever and the apple of her aunt's eye.

This is the girl by the point of view of her family and by most adults around here. But a quick look into her mind and you will see she is much more than that. Her education made her understand The Wizard World, and want for change, but also, she saw the precepts of hatred by those of muggle blood scattered among the pure ones.

That doesn't mean she is a radical purist, being not a hypocrite like Voldemort, but a grey person who could see muggle-borns being killed by crime (seen from the standpoint of older families) of murdering the witch culture, its holidays and customs, and substituting these for its feeble imitations.

As noted by the girl, the newly presented to this new world are not taught its ways or mannerisms. They think they have the right to impose their thoughts on all things, that the world without magic and with it are equal, that creatures and men have the same minds and laws.

His own mother thought it fair that any magic that could be used to seriously injure a man, any slightly dark or blood-based spell, should be forbidden to be casted. She clearly did not consider the effects of a simple Wingardium Leviosa used with bad intentions, or the use of Imperius to stop a man from suicide.

Cassy observed that yes, there were some good muggles, and there were some born of these more persevering in understanding and accepting rituals and rites of passage, heritages and creatures (such as Anna Pavlova), but such people were treated as outcasts on either side.

She also knew that she should make connections with both sides, and distance herself as much from the Headmaster, which meant more pure-bloods in high position (and with little or no respect for the meddling fool) on her side to keep the old coot from interfering with things that did not concern him.

But let us put aside the views of the young woman for a while, and return to the present.

The girl came down the stairs a little more bouncing in her footsteps. The owl of the towers looked rather arrogant, but held out the letter to him; The younger Potter did not care much for the disdain of the animal, and broke the wax seal with the school symbol (this one already known many years ago, since his mother's letter was in the bottom of her trunk).

" _HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

 _Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_

 _(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock,_

 _Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

 _Dear Ms. Potter,_

 _We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

 _Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Minerva McGonagall_

 _Deputy Headmistress"_

Finishing the generic words, she had read millions of times before (every day before bed when she was younger, and every day she felt frustrated about her studies, not having a wand to practice what she knew how to pronounce by core or by her idiot classmates), she smiled. Her time was coming soon, and it would be totally awesome.

The young woman raised an eyebrow, thinking it was unnecessary (and perhaps haughty) to quote all the Headmaster titles, since those raised in the magical world knew them, and those born between non-magicians would not understand them or their relevance, increasing them and giving them more or less than they deserve. Also, the Deputy Headmistress probably had more than one title, seen her position, and none had been placed, proving that names unrelated to school were dispensable.

She continued the letter, shaking her head.

 _" **HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY**_

 ** _UNIFORM_**

 _First-year students will require:_

 _1\. Three sets of plain work robes (black)_

 _2\. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_

 _3\. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)_

 _4\. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)_

 _Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags._

 ** _COURSE BOOKS_**

 _All students should have a copy of each of the following:_

 _\- The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)_

 _by Miranda Goshawk_

 _\- A History of Magic_

 _by Bathilda Bagshot_

 _\- Magical Theory_

 _by Adalbert Waffling_

 _\- A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration_

 _by Emeric Switch_

 _\- One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_

 _by Phyllida Spore_

 _\- Magical Drafts and Potions_

 _by Arsenius Jigger_

 _\- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_

 _by Newt Scamander_

 _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_

 _by Quentin Trimble_

 ** _OTHER EQUIPMENT_**

 _1 wand_

 _1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)_

 _1 set glass or crystal phials_

 _1 telescope_

 _1 set brass scales_

 _Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad._

 ** _PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK_**

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus_

 _Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions"_

She then climbed up the stairs, fast enough to not be late for breakfast, but slow enough so she could be gracious.

Picking up a booklet and a blue pen (even her calligraphy with quill being perfect, she still found it very impractical), she wrote down a brief list of all the materials she would need (and some extras such as everyday robes for out class moments, vests for balls, enchanted shoes, dragon-leather boots, a black silk cape, more books about pure-blood culture, a sheath for her wand, between others), but did not mind copying the books. She knew her father's family was rich, but would not abuse the money on things she already had (not to mention that the books had notes at the edges of the pages, potion improvements, and better ways to hold the wand).

Feeling bold, she took a piece of parchment from her mother's trunk, one of the last ones, and a quill with a last half-ink bottle, writing a quick reply to the deputy headmistress, knowing that this information (that she knew the and had access to the wizard supplies, and knew how to use them) would reach the ears of the man who had left her there without further explanation.

 _"Madam Deputy Headmistress, Dear Lady McGonagall,_

 _As you probably know, I am a ward of my aunt, Mrs. Dursley (nee Evans), since the death of my parents, Lord and Lady Potter, though (due to the scant information given by my aunt, who has little information on the wizarding world) I have a magical godfather and it would be his duty to create and teach me my duties as Lady Potter (and any other inheritances that fall under my responsibility)._

 _My aunt did her best, but I cannot force her to have direct contact with the world that took her sister away._

 _So, just as it is the policy for all muggle born or raised as one, I ask you to send, if you do not mind, a teacher to take me to Diagon Alley._

 _I will not take much of your time, since I just need an escort to come and go, but once I'm there, I know what I need to buy and where I need to go (also, for everything I read, the Alley is safe for childs)_

 _All the best wishes for you, and that your line grow and flourish,_

 _Cassiopeia Heather Potter, Lady Potter"_

The young woman went down the stairs, the parchment rolled up and bound with a black ribbon of silk, tied to the owl before it flew in boredom (or frightened by her uncle or Dudley, the two had terrible manners and could frighten the bird even unwillingly).

As soon as the grumpy animal flew, she headed for the kitchen, where her aunt was already preparing breakfast. Her presents were on the table, square packages with large colored bows, and the coat she had seen in the guest room before she came down.

\- Good Morning Aunt Petunia – she smiled widely to the woman who raised like a mom.

\- Good Morning, Cassy! And happy birthday, my little now formal witch! – she sang talk, putting a pile of pancakes on the table, the design of a wand with flicks of blue magic (blueberries) made with chocolate on top of them.

\- Nice drawing, since you said that I went back to work eventually, who knows, would it be good to invest in design? – The older woman always had been great at drawing - And since you mention that, I have great news, Auntie. - The witch smiled, cutting her breakfast into triangular, equal pieces. - My letter has arrived!

\- And you answered it? – Turning to off the oven, she turned back to the girl.

\- As soon as it arrived. I was extremely educated, but I made it clear that you omitted nothing from me, and that I understood my lineage. I implicitly meant that I knew where I should be and that I would not be a puppet, nor a stereotype.

\- You did well. It is past time that old man interfered with the lives of students, and of those who are no more (or yet). - Her words sounded harsh, but she still remembered the patronizing tone of the letter of denial she received at age twelve. She also knew that who supposedly protected Lily and James was the old wizard, and apparently his sister and brother-in-law were foolish in doing so, since they died after a year of hiding. - I know your parents were dead people walking, and that they had to gone into hiding, but even after all this years, I can't believe who they choose to protect them.

\- My parents were like sheep. I love them, and I know they would be pleased with who I am today, but am I a very bad person to imagine that their death was for the better? – Her aunt frowned, but shook her head in negative - They, and possibly me, would have been sheep guided by a blind fool. And maybe they would be pleased with themselves, but I would not. And I'm not Angelica Schuyler to give up my happiness for the other.

\- And you would be a dead girl walking, ready to die for a cause that is controlled by a senile man. I don't think anybody would be satisfied by that.

Both of them laughed, Cassy eating her food slowly while her aunt served herself and put orange juice in the table.

\- Quitting with the references, you win. But anyway, you watched musicals long before I dreamed of being born, of course you would be better at quoting.

\- It was not I who watched Hamilton more than thirty times. – Her aunt smiled, cunningly.

\- It's the Heathers fault, not mine! – She said, in a mocking offended tone – Talking about than, well, I'm happy I'm going to Hogwarts. They started to sneak some cigarettes from her dads, drink, bullying other kids and swearing. We're just eleven, but they wanna to make out with boys, and I heard I few rumors that Heather Duke was seen with a ninth-grader, making out. She is just twelve!

\- You know better than believe in gossip – Scowled the older woman – But you're right, I do not think girls with such habits are a good companion for an heiress of respect, let alone in the traditional magical world. They still despise single mothers, for God's sake.

The rest of the meal was passed in a comfortable silence. That is, until a clumsy black owl enters through the window, making a great noise. Tied to his paw with the same ribbon that Cassy had sent her reply, there was a parchment. The girl untied the letter and began to read its contents aloud.

 _"Heiress Potter,_

 _It is with great pleasure that I hear your affirmative to join our school. We did not expect you to know the magical world, given its location, but since you know it, we will be changing the plans for your visit to Diagon Alley a little bit._

 _Initially, we would send Hagrid (Hogwarts Keys and Land Keeper) to guide you in your shopping, but since you will only need an escort to come and go, we will send Professor Snape, from Potions. He has issues to deal with in the alley, and will set time and place to meet you at the end of the day._

 _He will be at his house tomorrow at noon, and warn him in advance that he is not a very patient man._

 _May your family grow strong and successful,_

 _Lady Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress"_

Silence perpetuated between the two women for a few minutes. Petunia then, after some thought, remembered who Snape was, both from her sister's photo albums and from the few flashes of her childhood and adolescence.

\- Professor Snape was his mother's friend, and if I remember correctly, and I can not guarantee I remember correctly, since I was blinded by jealousy at the time, he was deeply in love with your mother. - She forced her memory a little longer, recalling more recent events - They were not in the same house, and I did not see her mention it from her fourth or fifth year. Shortly afterwards, she only talked about her father, but I did not see her future teacher at her wedding either.

\- I hope he does not have posthumous rage from my parents. Or a necrophiliac love for my mother, since I'm pretty much like her. Things would get weird quickly.

\- If he is inappropriate to you in any way, whether it is offending you by a family you have never met or attempting to approach sexually, you will report it immediately, seek Student Defense, School Board of Governors, Ministry, if you need, but will not let him dishonor your name or you. Do you undestand?

\- Yes, Aunt Petunia. I will not let anything or anyone go over me. I do not doubt also that Hagrid, whoever this is, would be sent to alienate me, perhaps speak evil of what is considered dark, while crying out the goodness and power of Dumbledore. Perhaps this Professor Snape, being Slytherin, if I remember the photos well, is being sent to show me a worse image of his house, acting badly for me to distance myself from this, or to spy on me and find out exactly what and how much I I know, so Dumbledore can do damage control.

\- I think can be both. In fact, I think that this man could go any lenghts to manipulate you. I was not much older than you when he sent me a despicable letter saying that I, as a non-magical person other than my sister, had no right to study at Hogwarts. He was right, but I had no mental problems and he did not have to spend three pages in a condescending tone explaining this to me. - She sighed, the memories were not in any way sweet - I think I did a great job of creating you as a good person. And as much as I consider you a daughter I never had, would not it be more appropriate for a witch in her position and fame to be raised by other wizards, among other such children? And, well, his godfather, being magical and, I suppose, if the captions of his photos are saying indirectly that his relatives despise muggleborns are any indication, pure blood, would not have fought for your custody?

The girl sighed, finishing the breakfast and putting the letter in the pocket of her dress, taking her plates and putting them on the washing machine.

\- I suppose Uncle Vernon left early with Dudley for the usual fishing and we have the house for a week?

Cassy had no illusions that her uncle liked her. He, for the most part, avoided the child like the plague, and barely exchanged his usual morning greetings. He drove her to school with Dudley, but he spent every trip talking to his own son or staring at the road.

When she was younger, she tried to attract the attention and approval of her uncle, going well in all classes, being perfectly polite or giving in to all her cousin's wishes (usually to freeze their brains in the nearest 7Eleven). Then (seeing that acting like her aunt had taught her was pointless), at a time she did not feel the slightest pride of passing, she tried to act more like Dudley.

She spent all the time playing video games she hated and found boring, trying to play football or baseball. The girl spoiled her notes on purpose for a semester and ate like a pig.

This did not gain any attention from his uncle, only his aunt's disappointment. And the detachment of Veronica and Martha, her only friends before that. When she returned to her senses, she entered into a verbal quarrel with Dudley, out of sight of her aunt, which took away the little approach they had acquired in the period where she was basically his lackey.

The demon king of primary school has decreed it, he had said Monday, 8 am, she would be deleted. They would hunt her down in Study Hall, stuff and mount her on the wall, thirty hours to live. How shall she spend them?

So she thought that she didn't have to stay and die like cattle, without anybody help. She could change her name and drive up to London. But she didn't own a motor bike, and knew that would change nothing. Wait, here's an option that she liked: Go to the Heathers, three girls who were ascending in the social pyramid of school because of their wealth and beauty.

It was a clever way to divert Dudley. She used beautiful words to flatter the vain girls, showed her notes and how good she was in ballet and music, and that she could make them year-round and win favors from their parents. She told them gossip and blackmail against popular people (including Dudley).

That, along with her middle name, which was Heather, was enough for her to become an unofficial member of their little group, which kept her safe from her cousin and his bullying.

Cassiopeia despised the Heathers and knew that what they did was nothing more than a subtler version of what Dudley did, but the school is a jungle, and she needed to survive. She was not good at sports, and, being very pretty and very good at dancing and having good grades, attracted the envy of other girls. The boys still despised girls, and those who did not, did not dare go against Dudley. Staying alone, or going against the sour words of the girls, would make her a social outcast.

\- Yes darling. They went last night after you went to bed. - Petunia sighed, she knew that her husband tolerated the girl and gave her money to look after her, and completely ignored her niece.

\- So, since I'll be busy tomorrow afternoon, what do we plan for today and the rest of the time we'll spend together? You know we will not see each other until Christmas, and I can have commitments and dances in the magical world at this time, since I've missed many in the last nine years. - She was torn in sorrow by the dreaded separation from her aunt, and anticipation of what would come.

\- So, I was thinking...

They spent the rest of the day talking, buying clothes and books and movies in the city, watching them till midnight came and go, cooking and eating, smiling, laughing and doing food wars.

When they woke up the next day, the hangover of happiness from the previous day still latent in the smiles they gave each other as they were thrown into the room on mats, the face of Petunia rejuvenated for at least a decade and the look they exchanged was enough to make they laugh loudly.

\- What time is it? The teacher will be here at noon. - The girl said, after they could breathe again. The mention of the separation erased the smiles from their faces. The older woman's eyes filled with tears, and Cassiopeia jumped into her aunt's, her most beloved friend, confident, teacher and relative, almost her mom, arms to embrace her.

\- It's ... It's only going to be four months. Everything ... Everything will be fine, you will see ... it will be all right. I ... I'll ... I'll be here for Christmas, and then another three months and it will be ... it will be Easter! And we still have more ... more August to spend together. - The girl's voice was choked, but she quickly wiped her tears, and smiled at her aunt. - We can ... we can ... send Uncle Vernon and Dudley on that trip they wanted to go for so long! With Aunt Marge, to Majorca! He ... he has not taken a vacation in four years, and Aunt Marge does not like me or you. We can spend August together ... And I'll send you letters every week!

\- Just if you promise to tell me everything. - The older woman smiled.

They both laughed behind forgotten tears, and Petunia looked to the clock.

\- Go shower and dress yourself, quickly! It's almost a half past eleven, and I don't think your teacher will be happy if you are late.

The younger girl jumped off the couch, her tangled hair slapping against her back as she scampered up the stairs. Her aunt gave a slightly sad laugh, remembering that soon he would not see this sight very often, and that in a few weeks those red threads and bright eyes would only be seen in a few months of the year.

Less than half an hour later, the girl had taken a warm shower, washed, dried and untangled her long hair and trapped these in a well-crafted coke on the top of her head. Two small wicks fell on his face, and a long wick was used to make a side tuft.

She was dressed in a satin dress that stood an inch or two before her knee. It was dark green, with a large back tie that accentuated his waist, and a smaller, delicate one at the front. The skirt was beaded and slightly rounded, the larger folds making it look larger. It was slightly translucent between the shoulders, with a strip of the same color as the dress on the bust.

She wore a pair of velvet shoes, without heels and also green, with a black strip to keep them firm in her feet. A silver necklace with a beautiful black stone fell against her chest, and small matching earrings were in her ears. In her bun, at least fifteen staples with bright spots were in place. She passed some translucent gloss, and put on short, green gloves.

She descended the stairs on the proud and attentive gaze of her aunt, who had never seen her so beautiful before. Cassiopeia's posture was perfect, the mask of coolness in place, and both hands placed one above the other in front of her. She smiled at her aunt in control as they had trained, and sat down carefully on the couch so she would not knead her dress.

Less than ten minutes later, the doorbell rang, and the girl, reading a magazine enjoying the quiet company of her aunt (who read a book), got up a little stiff and placed the magazine on the scepter table, walking to the door and opening it.

The man standing there was tall, much taller than her aunt (and she dared to say, even her uncle), thin with sallow skin, a large, hooked nose and yellow, uneven teeth. He was dressed in flowing black robes, that remind her a bit of an overgrown bat. He had shoulder-length, greasy black hair which framed his face in curtains, curling lips and dark, penetrating eyes that resembled tunnels.

She made a small curl, clutching the edges of her dress, which surprised the man, who was expecting a spoiled and vain girl. Although he quickly overcame his surprise, realizing that he had been warned in advance that she was not what he expected.

 _Yesterday morning, Hogwarts_

 _Minerva McGonagall was expecting a lot of things that Wednesday morning, perhaps a delayed catch from the Weasley twins, or a detestable and colorful new outfit from Albus, or Severus being even more unbearable with the approaching start of the year (especially with the daughter of his worst enemy and his great love starting school). What she did not expect was a very accurate response from the child._

 _First, she did not imagine, like the rest of the magical world, that the girl who lived knew them, their greetings and customs. Much less that she was aware of the events of 1981._

 _Secondly, she did not think she would ever be referred to by her title, since even some purebloods no longer remembered that._

 _Third, the teacher felt sorry for the child, who could not remember her godfather when he was not yet a traitor. It was difficult even for her, who remembered the betrayal of Sirius Black well and had time to overcome the situation. Had the child grown up thinking he was looking for her, or had no interest in her?_

 _At last, she decided to go and tell Albus, and that led her into the headmaster's office without being announced shortly after breakfast._

 _\- Minerva, my dear, what brings you here so early in the holidays? Another Weasley twins' delayed dung bomb? - The man had a disturbing gleam in his blue eyes, for before the scottish woman arrived (and without his knowledge), he was planning the traps on the third floor (it would not hurt to make the young Potter a little more resilient) and looking at the list of born muggles to see who would be more suitable (and prone) to make friends with Cassiopeia at his orders. Little Granger had been put on the list (if handled, maybe a little insulated from her house, he could make the younger Weasley take care of it) - Or did we have any more applicants for the defense position? The position is no longer vague._

 _\- Look at this letter, Albus! I think maybe you did not make a mistake putting young Potter with her aunt! - The cat animagus held out the letter to him._

 _The gleam in Dumbledore's eyes quickly disappeared, but the woman did not notice. He read the letter, noting the subtle hints that the girl knew exactly who she was, and also her aunt's old hatred of witchcraft (making it clear that it was past), and what they thought she would be. She also seemed aware of the policies of the school and the functioning of the world they shared._

 _Unlike Minerva, he thought so, he had made a big mistake by putting the Girl-Who-Lived with Petunia. The muggle made the girl everything he hoped would not happen. The young woman would not be manipulative, malleable or open to suggestions. She would not put the lives of others in front of hers, and she seemed intelligent, cunning, and resourceful. He hoped she had no ambition, but he knew that this thought was unlikely to be realized._

 _Not letting the ol deputy headmistress notice his change of mood or expression, he began to think of new plans, since sending Hagrid now would be futile and would annoy the girl. He could speak ill of Petunia, and would want to follow her in Gringots and Diagon Alley, in addition to restricting his purchases and telling him things that would annoy her, since she already knew them. Also his lack of manners could alienate the girl away from him and his fellow men, and that would not do._

 _An idea popped into his mind. He knew Severus had to refill his potion ingredients, and he would go to Knockturn Alley tomorrow. Maybe it would not be a bad idea to get him to the alley. He despised Cassiopeia without even knowing her, and would treat her badly in the short time they spent together. She would have a bad view of him, which would give her less reason to lean in his ways._

 _Not everything was lost, no._

 _-_ _That's very curious information, Minerva ... I think you'll agree with me that it's no longer the best idea to send Hagrid to fetch Miss Potter. Severus has business in the alley tomorrow, would you be kind enough to search for him for me? And tell him to come to my office as soon as possible._

 _Minerva was not an idiot. She knew that Albus was not a man who took actions without an end, and not all his actions ended with the good of others. Sometimes he gained more, be it power or money or influence. But most of the time, the magic world was saved by his ideas. She did not think, however, that was above the old director to use a child in his own plans and to repair his own mistakes, and she would not let a student of her be manipulated in such a way._ _But at the moment, she knew there was little or nothing she could do._

 _-_ _Yes, Albus. - She smiled, and pick up the letter - I'll answer the kid, telling her that Severus will fetch her tomorrow, at noon. Is this okay?_

 _\- It is excellent, Minerva._

 _She went out in search of Severus, after a short bow to the Headmaster, finding him in his private room of potions in the dungeons, sorting ingredients._

 _\- Severus, Albus asked you to speak with him as soon as possible._

 _The potions master looked at the woman who had harbored him so often, who took care of him and looked for him when he forgot to eat. The woman who knew Dumbledore's manipulations as well as he often did with the older sorcerer when he wanted to send Severus into dangerous missions. It was she who comforted him after his quarrel with Lily, not Slughorn. It was she who wept with him after his acquisition of the dark mark, and it was she who directed him to Albus (for she preferred him under the old man's marionette web than in Azkaban)._

 _He nodded, getting up his chair and passing through her. She quickly grabbed his arm._

 _\- Do not let the father's blood influence the child. It may surprise you._

 _He grunted, now having an idea of what the old puppeteer wanted with him._ _She let go of his arm, and they nodded to each other before he went to the Headmaster, and her, to her brandy._

 _Severus climbed the stairs to the office of the man, quickly putting up his Occlumency shields._

 _\- Severus, my dear boy - The twinkle in the old man's eyes were disturbing and calculating. The teacher hated this expression, and even more the pet name-_ _You must have been informed by Minerva that the young Miss Potter is not exactly as we thought she would be. The girl seems well informed of our world, and very well aware of ancient customs and fancy greetings. So we simply could not send Hagrid, since she expressed the wish that it was only accompanied by her house to the alley and the alley to her house, not needing guidance during her shopping or her visit to Gringots._

 _The old man shooked his head like he was a bit disappointed at the child._

 _\- If I'm not mistaken, and forgive that old mind, but you have to replenish your stocks, and you'll go to the alley tomorrow, will not you?_

 _Severus pushed the urge to say no to the back of his mind, well aware of where this was leading them._

 _-_ _Yes sir. Should I presume you want me to take the child?_

 _The glow in the man's eyes intensified._

 _\- Yes, Severus. And I want you to remember who she is and whose daughter. - He paused a second, as if to leave him, pretending that he was not talking about his school enemy. - Lily was your best friend. - They both knew that he was not talking about Lily, and that his name was there to remember his great love lost and the debt he owed Albus._

 _\- Of course, Headmaster._

 _He quickly left, going to his chambers to analyze both conversations._

 _Present, Privet Drive._

\- Good day sir. Should I assume you're the school's envoy, Mr. Snape? The pleasure is all mine, I am Cassiopeia Potter.

The man raised an eyebrow. He was not yet convinced that the girl was not a complete idiot, arrogant and full of herself, like her father. But until she showed some proof of being a Gryffindor with no mind or ambition, he would treat her with the same coolness that treated the strangers, but he would reciprocate her education.

\- Good day Miss Potter. I'm in fact Mr. Severus Snape, I'll be taking you so you can do your purchases. Let's go, we don't have time to waste.

\- Goodbye, Aunt Petunia.

She closed the door behind her, coming to the yard, a mask of coolness in place and sharp green eyes looking direct into his soul. He took notice that she looked more like Black and Lily's child than Potter's. The thought made a smirk appear in the edge of his mouth. She looked at him, expecting him to talk.

Dumbledore would have a heart attack seeing all his plans collapse in front of him like glass when this girl goes to Slytherin (he'd bet she will). But the old man would have a worse attack on seeing the girl succeed (and Severus would be sure of her success). Also, he had a powerful collaborator for it. Petunia was the most Slytherin muggle he had ever had the pleasure (or displeasure) of knowing, and if the signals were right, raised the girl like one.

\- We're going to apparate. I hope you are familiar with the process?

\- Yes, sir.

And in a flash of color and sound, teacher and future student disappeared under the attentive eyes of the blonde woman at the window.


	4. Money and Friend

**I think maybe each year will have between fifteen and twenty chapters, so I may be finishing year one in beginning of August, and year two in middle of September (since in second year I will have to describe all summer and Dobby and some summer interaction with the Malfoys. All the Chamber situation will happen in a different way, and the second year is also bigger than the first one).**

 **Thanks to all new followers and favorites, this story is growing faster than I thought it would.**

 **Kudos for all of you, and let's start!**

 **PS: also thnks for the review from Sophia Quinn. I am thinking if I can write a Hufflepuff character without make it sounds dull. Any way, the sorting isn't in this chapter. Some Draco in this chapter, too.**

The man and the girl appeared, milliseconds later, in front of a dubious pub in the center of London. A wooden sign stuck by iron chains (long rotted on the edges) had written on its two faces "Leaky Cauldron" with yellow letters beginning to fade. The windows of the establishment were stained and contained scratches that no one had bothered to repair, acquired with the passage of time.

Hooded people occupied some old wooden tables in the background, looking suspiciously sideways and holding mugs of dark beer or bottles of red whiskey. Seated near the window, two school-aged blue-clad boys compared notes in two identical, black notebooks. At the counter, an older man attended two energetic witches in colorful yellow and red robes. One of them had a two- or three-year-old child on her lap.

A muggle-born (the clothes gave her) of brown curly hair with big front teeth smiled at her mother (only parents or guardians were allowed in the magical world, and the girl did not seek her look of approval, but of confidence) while her father carrying a large bag full of books. A dark-skinned, serious-looking boy stared at the scene in disgust (a particularly disgusted scowl sent to the girl with curly hair), a tall, white woman (his mother, but she had no sympathy for him, if the looks of warning meant anything) at his side, one hand on the shoulder of a girl with almost white hair the same age as the boy (his best friend in the way she looked at him with amusement).

As they entered the room, young Potter realized all this information, being trained to get information wherever she went. The glances did not immediately turn to them, since the entrance bell rang every few minutes. It was not strange also the clothes, although these were in the line between Muggle and Witch. The professor, not wanting to attract attention (knowing the girl would attract a lot), walked quickly to the back alley of the bar, Cassiopeia following in his footsteps diligently.

He paused for a few seconds to give a slight nod of recognition to the dark-haired boy's family, and the young woman repeated her gestures, bowing in the style of pure blood. When they reached the brick wall, the white woman's eyes finally widened in recognition of the girl, and she smiled a little at the sight of the situation, but made no mention of drawing attention to or approaching the child. Fate would take care of introducing his son to the amazing girl, not so much a symbol of Dumbledore as they expected. The marriage contract with Greengrass did not stop her from canceling this one for a better one. Neither stopped her son to follow her steps just once and killing his first wife.

Unaware of the thoughts of the famous Italian black widow (or not so much, the Potions teacher did not need her mental arts to guess what the dangerous woman was thinking, not when her fingers squeezed the blonde girl's shoulder like claws), Severus turned to Cassy with a stern look.

\- What I need to do will take a while, maybe more than four hours. Do you think you can finish everything you have to do until five o'clock?

The girl thought for a few seconds. Seeing that Gringotts would take no more than two hours, and the rest would not take much, she nodded with a quick "Yes, sir."

\- So at five o'clock we leave right here at the pub. Do not be late, and if you get ahead of me, do not stray from the counter and cover your scar.

They nodded at each other in a silent agreement. The teacher struck a brick pattern (which for the young witch seemed random, but tried to decorate anyway), and these were distancing themselves and giving way to one of the most incredible visions ever seen by Cassiopeia (and that included her trip to France two years ago).

Not wanting to delay the man or make him impatient, she quickly returned to the mask of coldness. The teacher did (without her knowledge) the same thing, having a sudden nostalgic feeling occurred to him to see the face of the girl, so similar to Lily but so different and distant, finally to demonstrate an emotion to the warm view of the diagonal alley, that enchanted hundreds of people not born or raised among wizards every day.

They stepped into the wide cobbled street, and parted slightly, the girl trailing through the throng of people to the huge white marble pillared building where Gringotts was written, and the man trailing through the shadows to the detour leading to the alley destined for the dark arts and contraband (where he bought the rare ingredients to create the wells requested by Albus, who was sometimes a more demanding master than his former, only a little more lenient in his punishments, never being inflicted by spells of pain and knives, but by condescending words and spells, which the old man made his victim agree to receive out of remorse)

The redhead passed through the windows that showed brooms of last generation, promising the best speeds; books that danced or bubbled, or bit or changed color, size and shape; animals with colored feathers, small or large or with beaks and claws sharper than daggers; boilers of all kinds; street vendors with fruit-filled pitchers she'd never seen, shiny jewelry, multicolored oils, and disgusting potions.

A plump woman complained about the price of ashwinder eggs, holding the hand of a small, brown haired boy. A middle-aged man passed with a tray of sweet rolls to his bakery. A girl with too much makeup not much older than she held several bags of clothes, shoes and ... Was that a two-tailed dog in her purse?

Cassiopeia was ecstatic with all the movement, but she kept her composure and turned away from beggars and vendors offering all sorts of things, following her way to the bank. Some went out of their way, noticing their clothes as a sign of elevated position.

She went up the steps of the bench, past two beggars who were trying to grab her heels, and refusing another flask of yellowish liquid. She wiped the nonexistent dust from her skirt and enter the large double burnish bronze doors of the bank, lined by two slightly smaller goblins (and she was only 4.2 feet) in red and golden armor with large pointed spears.

These two doors led to a small marble entrance hall, where magical hangers collected overcoats, umbrellas, cloaks, hats, and scarves. Because it was a hot day and she had none of these, she glimpsed the pair of silver doors in front of her. An inscription in curved letters made her shiver a little, that she could not tell if there was a spell to make it happen or if she was afraid of the warning.

 _Enter, stranger, but take heed_

 _Of what awaits the sin of greed_

 _For those who take, but do not earn,_

 _Must pay most dearly in their turn._

 _So if you seek beneath our floors_

 _A treasure that was never yours,_

 _Thief, you have been warned, beware_

 _Of finding more than treasure there._

Pushing one of the doors (which were definitely delighted to be lighter than usual), the first thing she saw was a long corridor with tables on either side, goblins with glasses at the end of their long curved noses sitting on tall chairs answering customers by examining the authenticity of gems, counting coins or signing papers. The young woman walked upright to the last table in the queue, farther away from the other clients to attract unwanted attention, and (already knowing the rude beings in her mother's diaries), did not make any remarks when speaking.

\- Lord, may your gold flow and your enemies flee upon hearing your name. My name is Cassiopeia Heather Potter, and I do not carry the key to my safe. This is in possession of someone who has no right to it or any right over me. I am willing to take a blood test to prove my identity, and also to list all my inheritances and my titles, as well as all the money that belongs to me.

The goblin looked at her with curiosity and a little greed. He bent his head slightly and smiled malefically, coming down from his high chair and pointing to one of the several doors.

\- Miss Potter, I wish you the same as you wished me. I believe that your requests should be answered in a private room, follow me. My name is Griphook.

The young woman followed the banker to a tall door, made of a smooth, polished dark wood, so bright she could see her own reflection. There were two doorknobs. One tall and big enough for one person four times her height and one so that the little creatures who run the bank can spin without problem. Griphook came in and sat down in a large velvet armchair behind a rosewood table. Papers and ink cartridges were piled up, and an amber light illuminated the room, but the girl did not know where she came from. There were no windows, and a large bookcase full of books identical to each other was leaning against the far wall.

\- Sit down, Miss Potter, and give me your hand. - The humanoid creature conjured a piece of parchment from among the others, pulling a dagger from the third drawer of his desk. He gestured to one of the tall, white armchairs in front of him, and the witch sat down, feeling the chair adjust to her size. Then she placed her hand on the table, watching the well-made and colorless fingernails, her pale hand against the dark table. He turned his hand, cutting his palm with the cold blade. She trembled, and the blood fell lightly on the parchment and was absorbed by it, turning into letters and numbers. The goblin read quickly before extending the paper to the girl, grinning greedily. - Apparently, Miss Potter, or shall I say, Lady Potter-Black-Peverell-Slytherin-Hufflepuff, you are the newest millionaire in the magic world, and I must say, the youngest as well.

 _Client: Cassiopeia Heather Potter-Black-Peverell-Slytherin-Hufflepuff_

 _Titles: Lady Potter (to be claimed), Lady Peverell (to be claimed at 16), Lady Hufflepuff (to be claimed at 16), Lady Slytherin (to be claimed), Lady Black (regent, to be claimed)_

 _Muggle Title_ _s: Heir Schuyler (third in line to succession)_

 _Wizengamot: 21 Votes_

 _Mother Family Line_

 _Mother: Lillian Jacynth Potter-Peverell (neé Evans) (deceased)_

 _\- Maternal Grandmother: Jacynth Heather Evans (neé Schuyler) (deceased)_

 _\- Maternal Grandfather: Alexander J. D. Evans (deceased)_

 _Titles: Lady Potter (by marriage), Lady Peverell (by marriage) (never claimed), Lady Hufflepuff (by conquest) (never claimed), Lady Slytherin (by conquest) (never claimed), Princess of Magic Scotland (never claimed) (by conquest)_

 _Father Family Line_

 _Father: James Charlus Potter-Peverell (deceased)_

 _\- Paternal Grandmother: Dorea Cassiopeia Potter (neé Black), Lady Potter-Peverell (deceased)_

 _\- Paternal Grandfather: Charlus Fleamont Potter, Lord Potter-Peverell (deceased)_

 _\- Godfather By Magic: Magnus Arcturus Longbottom, Lord Longbottom-Gryffindor (deceased)_

 _\- Godmother By Magic: Augusta Phoebe Longbottom (née Sefiq), Widow Lady Longbottom-Gryffindor_

 _Titles: Lord Potter (by inheritage), Lord Peverell (by inheritage) (never claimed), Lord Hufflepuff (post-mortem) (by marriage), Lord Slytherin (post-mortem) (by marriage)_

 _Godfather Family Line_

 _Godfather by Magic and Blood: Sirius Orion Black, Lord Black (imprisoned, not claimed) (doesn't extend more than direct family)_

 _Grandmother by Blood and Magic: Walburga Druella Black (née Black), Lady Black (deceased)_

 _Grandfather by Blood and Magic: Orion Phineas Black, Lord Black (deceased)_

 _Grandmother Family Line_

 _Godmother by Magic: Alice Iolanthe Longbottom (nee Fawley), Lady Longbottom-Gryffindor (disabled)_

 _Grandmother by Magic: Iolanthe Felicia Fawley (neé Black), Lady Fawley (by marriage) (deceased)_

 _Grandfather by Magic: James Dullies Fawley, Lord Fawley (deceased)_

 _Guardian_

 _Guardian: Petunia Alexandra Schuyler Dursley (neé Evans) (Muggle)_

 _Relation: Maternal Aunt_

 _Titles: Lady Schuyler (next in line)_

 _\- Alive Family Members U_ _nder the Titles' Jurisdiction_ _:_

 _\- Narcissa Druella Malfoy (neé Black), Lady Malfoy (by marriage), (by magic) (non-hereditary)_

 _\- Bellatrix Melania Lestrange (neé Black), Heiress Lestrange (by marriage), (by magic) (non-hereditary) (imprisioned)_

 _\- Andromeda Ursula Tonks (neé Black), Mrs. Tonks (by marriage), (by magic) (non-hereditary)_

\- _Sirius Orion Black, Lord Black (never claimed), (godfather) (imprisioned)_

 _\- Tom Marvolo Riddle, Heir Slytherin (by blood) (_ _ancient lord, conquered), Heir Hufflepuff (by conquest) (ancient lord, conquerer) (vassal) (in spirit form)_

 ** _Lady of the Noble House of Potter_**

 _\- Heirlooms:_

 _\- Ring of Eternal Love_

 _\- Cintamani Stone_

 _\- Twelve Lost Dragon Teeth_

 _\- Trunks, books, gadgets, robes, armors, knives, daggers and jewels_

 _\- Precious Stones:_

 _\- 90K in rubies_

 _\- 34K in diamonds_

 _\- 35K in emeralds_

 _\- 29K in topazes_

 _\- 47K in moonstones_

 _\- Money:_

 _\- Vault 669: 4 million galleons_

 _\- Vault 467: 876 thousand galleons, 26 sickles, 27 knuts_

- _Acres and Properties:_

 _\- Potter Manor (Ireland)_

 _\- Godric's Hallow (England)_

 _\- Marauder's Den (Scotland)_

 _\- Ballymoon Castle (Ireland)_

 _\- Ballyloughan Castle (Ireland)_

\- _25% of The Leaky Cauldron (invest by Charlus Potter, 1958)_

 _\- 16% of The Prophet Diary (invest by Fleamont Potter, 1920)_

 _\- 65% of Zonko's (invest by James Potter, 1974)_

 _\- 28% of Honeydukes (invest by Euphemia Potter, 1916)_

 _\- 35% of Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop (invest by Dorea Potter, 1956)_

 ** _Lady of the Noble and Most Ancient Black_**

 ** _-_** _Heirlooms:_

 _\- Dark_ _Artifacts_

 _\- Three Domestic Elfs (Kreacher, Mina and Juika)_

 _\- Slytherin Locket (by conquest)_

 _-_ _Trunks, books, robes, poisons, potions, daggers and jewels_

 _\- Precious Stones:_

 _\- 8K in rubies_

 _\- 54K in diamonds_

 _\- 90K in emeralds_

 _\- 70K in tourmalines_

 _\- 70K in jades_

 _\- Money:_

 _\- Vault 393: 19 million galleons_

 _\- Vault 645: 298 thousand galleons_

 _\- Acres and Properties:_

 _\- Black Manor (Paris, France)_

 _\- Grimmauld Place, 12 (London, England)_

 _\- Eleanor's Den (Venice, Italy)_

 _\- Grafty's Cave (_ _Maslen nos Primorsko, Bulgary)_

 _\- Cedrella's Orphanage for Muggleborn Children (London, England)_

 _\- 69% of Borgin n' Burkes (invest by Orion Black, 1958)_

 _\- 22% of Prophet Diary (invest by Callidora Black, 1922)_

 _\- 32% of Flourish and Books (invest by Cygnus Black II, 1939)_

 _\- 67% of Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions (invest by Lycoris Black, 1967)_

 _-_ _25% of Beauxbatons Academy Of Magic (founder, Via Black)_

 ** _Lady of the Noble and Most Ancient House Of Peverell_**

 _\- Heirlooms:_

 _\- The Elder Wand_

 _\- The Resurrection Stone_

 _\- The Invisibility Cloack_

 _\- Trunks, books and robes_

 _\- Precious Stones:_

 _\- The Tiger's Eye_

 _\- The Black Diamond_

 _\- The Bloody Ruby_

 _\- Star of India_

 _-_ _De Beers Diamond_

 _\- 39K in moonstones_

 _\- Money:_

 _\- Vault 154: 87 million galleons_

 _\- Vault: 47: 92 million galleons_

 _\- Acres and Properties:_

 _\- Death's Bridge (England)_

 _\- Stella's Castle (Amazonian Forest, Brazil)_

 _\- Archimedes' Library (Syracuse, Greece)_

 _\- Jaskao's Flat (Tokyo, Japan)_

 _\- Quinn's Den (Volgograd, Russia)_

 _\- 15% of Mahoutokoro (acquired by marriage, in 534 A. C.)_

 ** _Lady of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Hufflepuff_**

 _\- Heirlooms:_

 _\- Hufflepuff's Cup_

 _-_ _The Staff of The Monkey King_

 _\- The Apple of Eris_

 _\- The Badger of Gold_

 _\- Trunks, books, robes, jewels, silverware, cutlery and tea sets_

 _\- Precious Stones:_

 _\- 34K in rubies_

 _\- 54K in yellow diamonds_

 _\- 33K in opales_

 _\- 67K in amberes_

 _\- 24K in variate stones_

 _\- Money:_

 _\- Vault 15: 147 million galleons_

 _\- Vault 21: 278 million galleons_

 _\- Vault 33: 3890 million sickles, 229 million knuts_

 _\- Acres and Properties:_

 _\- Badger Den (Scotland)_

 _\- Falaise's Castle (Falaise, France)_

 _\- Room of Requirements_

 _-_ _Château du Commarque (Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, France)_

 _\- Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg (_ _Orschwiller, France)_

 _-_ _Qasr Amra Castle (_ _Jordan)_

 _\- 25% of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (founder)_

 _\- 25% of Hogsmead Village_

 ** _Lady of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Slytherin_**

 _\- Heirlooms:_

 _\- Basilisk_

 _\- Basilisk's Scales and Fangs_

 _\- Basilisk's Armor_

 _\- Book of_ _Thoth_

 _\- Trunks, poisons, potions, robes, books and jewels_

 _\- Precious Stones:_

 _\- Ice Diamond_

 _\- Basilisk Eye_

 _\- Chalk Emerald_

 _\- La Peregrina_

 _\- Rosser Reeves Ruby_

 _\- Logan Sapphire_

 _\- Star of Bombay_

 _\- 2K of red diamonds_

 _\- Money:_

 _\- Vault 14: 198 million of galleons_

 _\- Vault 589: 209 million of galleons_

 _\- Vault 231: 278 million sickles_

 _\- Acres and Properties:_

 _-_ _Solar of Patience (Versailles, France)_

 _\- Topkapi Palace (Istanbul, Turkey)_

 _\- Chamber of Secrets_

 _\- Riddle's Mansion (Little Hangleton, England)_

 _\- Morgana's Lair (France)_

 _\- 25% of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

 _\- 25% of Hogsmead Village_

After a few minutes looking stunned at the parchment, she heard the creature's voice again, which contained a hint of amusement.

\- If you're wondering, your full title, as soon as you claim the titles you can at this age, is Lady Cassiopeia Heather Potter-Black-Slytherin, Heiress Hufflepuff and Peverell. If you marry, at any age, your husband will be Lord Consort. You have 1,286,109,092 galleons and 11 sickles, which just 682,109,092 and 11 sickles are, in fact, yours to use until your sixteenth birthday. You have control of half the Hogwarts school, which I believe is where you're going. Get ready for some surprises about your location and your ... sleeping arrangements.

The young woman recovered from the shock and straightened in her chair, the green orbs facing the goblin's whitish eyes.

\- So I shall claim them now.

He conjured with a movement of his hand a five-ring glass box placed on velvet cushions, and opened it, extending the first one to her. This one was golden and had clearly belonged to a man's hand before hers. It contained a dark opaque red stone with a golden two-headed lion carved into it. Patterns painted in red circled the ring like blood.

\- This is the Potter seal. Put on your left-hand ring finger.

Young Potter took the ring and did as she was told. Initially the jewel was too big for the finger, but after a few minutes, it flashed red, the magic blinding her for a few seconds before she could see and feel the metal pressed against her skin. A familiar sensation spread through her, and she imagined seeing a trace of red hair and honey-colored eyes under round spectacles.

\- So mote it be.

He held out the second ring. It was white, as if made of bone, and a black stone shone on it. This ring had also belonged to a man, and the lines that circled him were thinner and blacker than the previous one. A silver crow was carved in this, and the inside was engraved with the phrase _"Toujours Pur"_.

\- This is the seal of the Black family. Put on your ring finger of the right hand.

The same as the previous one repeated itself, now emitting a black, cold, almost judgmental glow that radiated, examining her ability, for almost ten minutes before adjusting. The goblin seemed almost disappointed when it happened.

\- So mote it be

The third was silver, with a huge green stone, two silver serpents intertwined with each other in the center of it. Another one that had belonged to a man before her. Small snakes decorated the whole circumference, inside and out. Cassiopeia thought, with a chill, that they seemed to move under the flickering light.

\- This is the Slytherin seal. Put on your middle finger of the left hand.

It took less than a minute to accept her, glowing from the very same green of her eyes.

\- So mote it be.

The fourth ring was made of a black metal with a yellow and comforting stone, a badger (or similar animal, it was difficult to identify) was carved black in it. There were some yellow strokes on the ring, as if gold threads had spilled from a cauldron. The stone, and the seal itself, seemed smaller than the others, and seemed to have belonged to a woman before.

\- This is the seal of the Heir Hufflepuff. Put on your index finger of the right hand.

She did as he was told to do, feeling the ring squeeze her finger without a second's hesitation, welcoming her like a prodigal daughter long lost. A sensation of heat spread from the tip of her toes to the last strand of her hair.

\- So mote it be, until her sixteenth birthday.

The last ring was also smaller than the first three and seemed to be made of dark wood polished with a gray stone which, unlike the others, was surrounded by smaller stones that glittered like crystals and were transparent. A triangle with a circle and a trace inside it, engraved with wood, adorned the stone, and a scythe decorated the inside of the ring.

\- This is the seal of the Heir of Peverell, and should be worn on your small left-hand finger.

The silver glow spread in a different way, almost a mist, curling into her arm and climbing up her neck and interlacing in her hair. A shrill sound was heard, and the seal settled on her skin, the feel of the wood much warmer than the cold metal of the Black Family, but much colder than the welcoming Hufflepuff ring or the bold Potters. It was nothing like the Slytherin, this almost reptilian against her skin.

\- So mote it be, until her sixteenth birthday... So, Milady, what do you want now?

\- I wish all my properties to be heavily warded, and the house-elves be warned to clean them entirely, to keep the tapestries, bed and table linen and curtains in stock, to polish the cutlery, to replant the gardens as they please, and remain alert. - She didn't hesitated for one second, more straight than ever, feeling the power run through her veins - I'll send a message before appear, but I want them ready. I also wish that all objects worth more than a thousand galleons and not furniture be transported safely to a vault here, and all those who are cursed should be exorcised or eliminated. Portraits of people should be cleaned and placed all in one room. Personal objects of people who are already dead, if they have no value other than the sentimental, should be donated, excluding photographs and objects of intimate use. These should be discarded.

She breathed for a few seconds, focusing on what else she should do. She looked at the list again, numbering the things and what will go to where.

\- I want the equivalent of a million pounds transported to a muggle account, and all gems should be grouped by type into jars, taking the most valuable with proper names, these I want to be polished and separated from the others, on pedestals, their vaults. Jewelry items should be placed on shelves separately and by type: necklaces, earrings (in pairs), rings, bracelets, anklets, belts, crowns, tiaras, blades, bows and others. All self-named heirlooms quoted on this list should be placed on separate pedestals in their own vaults. Books should be organized by titles and subject in organized piles, the repeated ones must be donated to Archimedes library. Trunks should be opened, and the content should be separated and classified according to my other instructions. All clothing worth less than ten thousand galleons must be donated to the orphanage, and the others must be put into cabinets in their own vaults. Potions and poisons should be identified and separated on shelves accordingly.

She smiled, breathing again and looking to the greedy smile of the goblin.

\- I also want a money bag attached to the vault 14, which opens only for my magic signature. All the keys to my vaults must be confiscated and destroyed, they will only open with my blood given by me with my magic signature. All listed magic items that are not in my vaults should be confiscated and returned to them. The money to cover all requisitions can be taken from my vaults, and also the price for this visit and the blood test.

\- It will cost three hundred thousand galleons, Milady. - He said, waiting her to back off.

\- Then add one more thing to my list: Ballymoon Castle should be turned into a second orphanage, for magical children born of muggles or raised by them, but these do not value them. Also invest more of my money in buying as many shares as possible of the five or six most prominent newspapers and magazines. It's always good to have the media on your side. - She knew the creatures were rude and expected her to be like the other wizards, greedy and idiots, for whom they had great mistrust.

\- That will cost another hundred thousand galleons, apart from the annual expenses of the orphanage and the amount that will be invested.

\- It's done, then. It was good to do business with you, Mr. Griphook. - Cassiopeia rose gracefully and reached out to the goblin, who shook it with a raised eyebrow.

\- May your coffers fill with gold - A laugh would have been heard had the young lady not been so polite. If a suppressed chuckle was heard, it was not commented on by either of them.

\- And may your enemies tremble at the sound of your name. - She replied.

They left the room, the goblin pausing only to kiss Cassiopeia's hand, an attitude by which she made a mental note of getting accustomed, for she was now a member of the high society of the wizard world, and this was extremely traditional. Griphook went to the right, shouting orders to his subordinates, while the youngest millionaire witch left the Bank with her chin raised, passing a delicate hand to pull a few strands of hair from her eyes before taking the purse of money offered to her.

He walked the streets of the market, again diverting from the beggars and vendors, leaving three galleons to an old man for whom she felt sorry. She would have left more, or even taken him to one of the houses and the one placed as a housekeeper, even with the elves (to rescue someone from the streets created a debt of life, so he could not betray her), were it not for the smell of beer and alcohol emanating from it.

Watching the shops, she decided to go first to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, not only because she loved clothes, but because the books would take longer, since she would have to look for books on culture rather than the school ones (she already had those of her mother, who came with notes).

The shop was friendly, creamy and pastel. A witch with a tight coke and a pincushion at the waist (along with a whole sewing kit) was behind the wooden counter, and a pair of translucent yellow curtains separated this entrance of figures that seemed to measure the clothes of a person from the her age.

Macaws full of robes and fabrics of all colors and types scattered everywhere, boots and bags filling shelves. Cufflinks, gloves, ties and socks also had their place in these, and even some jewelry.

\- Good morning darling, I'm Madame Malkin. What do you want today? - The woman's voice was soft, and Cassy smiled, putting both hands on the counter unpretentiously. The smile grew when she saw the woman's eyes widen in surprise and shock, recognizing the symbols.

\- Good morning, Madame Malkin. I'm Cassiopeia Potter-Black-Slytherin. I'm here for my Hogwarts robes and a few more extras, you know, a lady's wardrobe is never stocked enough. - She tilted her head slightly, and the woman's eyes widened before she looked at the floor suddenly.

\- Of course, Lady Potter-Black-Slytherin. Follow me please, there is another student being adjusted now as well. - The older woman followed her head down the curtains, and the girl followed her upright. The boy being adjusted had piercing mercury eyes, platinum hair, and a pointed face. There was elegance and pride in the way he wore it. She gave him a brief smile as his eyes followed her figure, but there was no surprise or respect in them, which meant he had not heard her.

\- For Hogwarts too? - He asked as a young woman reached out a hand to help her onto the stool, her head lowered, obviously alerted by her employer of who she was.

\- Yes, Mr...? - She knew his face from somewhere, but she could not remember. Besides, it was more polite to ask.

\- Malfoy, Draco Malfoy - He had an air of importance about himself, and she remembered the pictures of Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Black, now Malfoy if the blood test said anything.

\- Oh yeah. The son of Narcissa Black and Lucius Malfoy. I believe I'm addressing the Heir Malfoy? - The boy seemed a little surprised by his knowledge, but smiled at her shrewdly.

\- And you are? - He said with a raised eyebrow.

\- I'm Cassiopeia Potter, Lady Potter-Black-Slytherin. - She smiled at the surprise that broke the boy's cold mask for five whole minutes. After five minutes of complete silence, she added - Heiress Hufflepuff and Peverell.

Instead of shocking the boy more, he smiled, recovering the facade, a little shaken, and pushed the woman who made the bar of his robe with a hand gesture, bowing and kissing her hand.

\- The pleasure is all mine, my lady. It's an honor to meet you.

\- It's my pleasure, heir Malfoy. I believe your parents are buying your things? - She asked, still smiling.

\- Only my mother, she is in Gringotts. My father was busy at the Ministry. And you are with?

\- Mr. Snape, Professor of Potions. Besides the clothes, have you bought anything else? - He looked at her interestedly, then smiled, understanding the purpose of the question.

\- No, but if you want to accompany me, I have no objection, mademoiselle. - They smiled together and for each other, seeing this as the beginning of a beautiful alliance and friendship. Cassiopeia knew that here she was taking a side, choosing the Malfoys as an ally, a family of pure blood. She knew what the consequences would be, as the world would see her, especially with the surnames Slytherin and Black. At least Hufflepuff and Potter were there to balance the scales, and the Peverells ... Well, she did not know the position of this family, but she hoped it would be neutral, or long enough without an heir that no one else could remember.

Because she was still a pre-teen without many friends, and Draco seemed friendly and generally someone to be around, if not a bit arrogant.

\- I would love to.


	5. Friends, a New Trio

**Okay okay. So... No Hogwarts yet. But... next chapter, I promise King's Cross and Train and Sorting and Food.**

 **DISCLAIMER: Why I'm doing this? Its obvious Harry Potter isn't mine. All credits to JK Rowling and Warner.**

 **Thanks for all favs and followers and REVIEWS.**

 **Sorry for all grammatical errors guys, I'm not fluent but I'M TRYING.**

 **Need a BETA.**

 **okay, so let's start.**

The two children (for, despite their titles and the importance of these, the two were only eleven-year-old children) talked about light subjects (Draco was ecstatic to explain to Cassiopeia all the rules of Quidditch, and the girl discovered that it was expected that the boy went to Slytherin, but he did not have many friends among the pure-bloods and would not mind going to Ravenclaw) as they waited for the clerks to finish their measurements. As was normal among other people the same age, they became fast friends. Maybe it was the fact that they were not finally on the watchful eye of their caretakers, or that the lady who run the store did not have such a high position in society to get involved in the gossip circles with which they lived. Still, they held their composure, allowing only low laughter from the backs of the attendants, who smiled discreetly to see the two acting as their age, but did not comment.

Draco finished first, and after paying what he owed (which to him was a muck, but to most people would be an embezzlement in their bank accounts) by the school clothes, waited for his new friend (and probably the only other than Pansy and Blaise) finished choosing fabrics and metals (she would not content herself with a single common cloak with silver locks, and needed more than one pointed hat or one pair of gloves, also, the common name tags were ugly and she wanted them embroidered in silver, yellow or green) sitting in a velvet chair that stood in front of the counter, watching the younger Potter while she was deciding for the trunk with the biggest inside space, rooms and even a library, but weightless.

The girl smiled at him, a smile that made him smile back, and it was not one of those fake smiles he gave to old ladies at charity parties, or the sneer of disdain he gave the Weasleys every time he saw them. She was one of his first friends, something he dreamed of since he knew about the Girl-Who-Lived.

He rethought the last half hour in his head.

 ** _Thirty Minutes Before_**

 _The afternoon had begun horribly, his mother had left him to go to the bank when it came to breaking news that her former family (Black) had a new regent. His father had trouble with old Fudge, this again wanting to appease the older blonde to investigate Malfoy Mansion under Dumbledore's orders ("advice from an old friend, Lucius, you know, with the suspicions of the old war, and the association with the Blacks, just a routine thing ")._

 _Then the young heir went to Madame Malkins, his mother saying she would find him later in the pub (that place was ... disgusting). He then, in the calm voice he wore with the adults with whom he had nothing against (the shop owner was kind, and he was not a monster), he indicated exactly what he wanted._

 _The place was empty, and he was not on the stool for five minutes when the entrance bell tinkled, indicating another customer._

 _Behind the transparent curtains, he saw a female figure that was not much smaller than him (maybe four or five inches, but he was too tall for his age). He tried to pay attention to the conversation ("for Merlin's sake, anything but a Muggle-born girl trying to teach him about his own world"), but the tape measure flying around him made noise every time it opens._

 _But he picked up the words "Black," "Lady," and "Hogwarts," and his mind made a quick call between his mother's quick exit and this new person. So this girl was Lady Black? Was she going to school with him? Knowing his mother, if this girl had more than three degrees of kinship away, there would be matchmaking thoughts in her mind._

 _But nothing prepared him for the girl who entered through the curtains. He_ _had never be the same._ _She was not inferior, like Crabbe and Goyle, nor an equal, like Pansy or Blaise. No, she was superior. She walked gracefully, but there was a certain calculation in each step. Everything was just too perfect. The smile was extremely white, but not enough to look fake. The young woman seemed happy, but not to the point of seeming inelegant. She was upright, but she did not seem to have a broom handle tied behind her back._

 _The clothes had no kneading, and did not look like the witch fashion, but it could be French. Draco was sure he could see his own reflection in the medallion she wore around her neck. She had many family seals on her fingers, but from afar, he could never identify which ones were. He felt her i_ _ntelligent eyes in a hunger frame_ _meet with his beneath the tuft of red hair, but he did not look away from the girl who seemed to examine him before smiling and taking help from an attendant to climb onto the stool beside him._

 _Then he started a conversation. Draco almost forgot his name when her voice talked back, gentle and cunning, searching and full of magic. He tried not to show his surprise at the wealth and family of the girl, but it was complicated, since he was in front of (oh my holy Hecate) Lady Slytherin (and Hufflepuff Heiress and Peverell and Girl-Who-Lived, and not as golden as they imagined)._

 _He realized that after going through her titles, there was a lot more about Cassiopeia. She was captivating, intelligent ("but how come you do not know Quidditch?") And did not talk about boring girl topics (except when it came to ordering the clothes for the attendants, but that was not addressed to him), quite different from Pansy, who just wanted to talk about make-up and gossip and muscled wizards in Quidditch magazines ("Pansy, these magazines are not made for models, these are players, and they're too old for you!" "Jealous, Draco?" "Blaise, Pansy is almost a sister to me" "I was talking about the players")._

 _So this is what it feels like to match wits, w_ _ith someone at his level! What is the catch? It was t_ _he feeling of freedom, of seeing the light._ _The conversation lasted two minutes, maybe three minutes._ _Everything they said in total agreement, it was a_ _bit of a dream and a bit of a dance, a_ _bit of a posture and a bit of a stance._

 _She was ... different. Obviously, Draco would not tell anyone that. His mother could hear or find out, and then he would think the two of them were a match set in Heaven._ _And he did not want to marry, even if it was his obligation. Girls were becoming less disgusting, and he had hormones ... But that did not mean he wanted to get married, or that girls his age were interesting._

 _Not even Cassiopeia Heather Potter. Not even her._

 _(at least that's what he said to himself)_

 _ **Back to the Present**_

The blonde woke up from his thoughts as he felt the thin, delicate fingers of the girl in question touch his shoulders. He looked up from his knees and stared at the emerald orbs that watched him with a hint of amusement.

\- If you're back from your thoughts, dear friend, I think it's time to go. I have a time to meet with Professor Snape, and I do not think he would be happy if I was late. And he's a man I do not want to displease. - She winked, but her tone was serious.

\- I do not think you could displease my godfather, not even if you wanted to. He does not seek and live from the power of others, but he is still a serpent, and you are literally a Slytherin. - The boy smiled, indicating the green ring in her hand. - But you're correct, it's just rude to be late.

\- I am fortunate that some ancient magical families agreed in the Middle Ages that it was better to have a child, with no direct relative to be regent, as head of the family than a regent from outside the family, especially when this could be a muggleborn. - She shook her head, straightening up and hanging her bags (these with a spell to make them weightless) on her forearms.

Draco smiled, which made him wonder, since he did not smile that much normally. Then he stood up, bowing (a little caricature, he might admit), and she laughed softly behind her left hand. He kissed her other hand, and Cassy raised her face in a fake stance.

\- Milady, would your Majesty give the honor of accompanying you to this poor gentleman? - She lost the front and began to laugh, perhaps a little inappropriately tall for a lady, but who cared?

\- Draco, you're anything but poor. Come on, oh brave gentleman, we have a lot to do and you have not told me anything about your other friends, and I'm sure you have many, confidants or facades. - Cassiopeia put the boy's hand on her forearm, where it would be appropriate, and began to walk. If she knew that witch society was so ... Elizabethan (or Victorian?), she would have brought the fan that her aunt had taught her how to use it when she was eight. Or maybe an umbrella, one full of frills. Was her dress appropriate? Was she shocking the magic community with her calves? The thought almost made her laugh.

\- In fact, I have very few friends, I'm to good for the commonalty. The only people, besides you, who can possibly match my wits are Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson. Blaise is a tall, dark-skinned boy with protruding cheekbones. His mother is known to ... get money from men about to die through marriage. They are influential, an old Italian pure blood family. - She remembered the boy from the pub, but discarded the memory - He and his mother wishes his marriage to some prominent young woman, perhaps Pansy, perhaps the elder Greengrass, but if she discovers you, or rather, your hyphenated surname, and I do not doubt Mrs. Zabini will make sure your name will be at the top of the list. - She laughed through her hand again.

\- I am aware of the weight of my name and how much it will be interesting, whether for friendships or weddings. I hope you're not around me because of this, dear. - She tested him, but he just smiled and brushed aside her worries with one hand.

\- You know I'm not, dear, I'm here because you're not insufferable or dumb. Well, going on. Pansy is the only daughter of Tiberius Parkinson, and with more money than his parents' presence. He has black hair and eyes. Your face reminds me a little of a dog, but never tell her I told you so. She does not want to get married, but her parents will only let her inherit something if she does. - He sighed, but internally thought it was good to finally talk equally with someone his age - It's unfair, but witch society is not very good for women, at least not for those who do not have five hundred titles and enough money to have anyone who challenges them killed.

\- Killing is a very strong term for a lady, Draco. But accidents happen, and if they happen to someone I ... I do not like, it's nothing but a coincidence of fate. Nothing can be directed to me. - She said with a shark smile.

\- At least nothing you can not erase with money. - He murmured, and she giggled.

\- Well, Draco, who else do you know?

\- I know Crabbe and Goyle, muscles without brains and not at all worth a minute of your hearing. There is also Theodore Nott, tall, serious, light hair and gray eyes almost black. His mother died when he was six. He uses knowledge as a weapon, and I always wondered whether he would be among us, Slytherins, or among the Ravenclaws.

\- "Among us"? What tells you that I will be in Slytherin? - She said with a laugh, and he gave her a smirk.

\- Besides the ring in your left hand, and the fact that you're likely to have to sleep in the chambers of your family and not among us, poor mortals, you're absorbing information from me like a sponge, and we both know it's not just for storage.

\- And you keep giving me information any way, my dear, so who is the Slytherin here? - They both laughed, still walking down the street toward the bookstore. Some curious glances followed her red hair ("the youngest Weasley has darker hair" "The Malfoy heir would never be with a Weasley" "you see how many rings in her fingers?" "Young Malfoy is escorting her?" "she is pretty") and his blonde one, both ignoring other people with a look of natural superiority.

\- There are the Greengrass sisters, coming from a neutral family very old, somehow with little knowledge of ancient traditions, but deeply interested. They are emerging from a bankrupt, must have around two or three hundred thousand galleons in the bank. Parents work at St. Mungos as specialists in their fields. The youngest is only two years younger than us, but she is already looking for marriage contracts, seeing that she will not inherit anything. - Cassiopeia was enjoying all the gossip. Blackmail was something useful, and she had the feeling she would not like the Greengrass sisters, at least not the youngest. They enter the library, and start talking lower.

\- And what are the names of these girls? Physical description too, you are my friend, or so you say, and can not let me make a public gaffe. - She huffed and he laughed lowly.

\- The older one has blonde hair, almost gold, and cold blue eyes. Her name is Daphne, she's our age. The younger one, as I told you, is two years younger, has brown hair and hazel eyes. Her name is Astoria, and she's very, very annoying. - He said, delivering to her a book on all the magical lineages (or at least the famous enough).

\- Well, well ... Draco, you know better than to speak ill of less influential people in public places.

The two turned, surprised to hear a male voice (and very young) speak behind them. Cassiopeia then saw the pub kid, dark skin and piercing eyes, his hair cut close to his head. She did not take long to make the call, and bowed her head.

\- I suppose you are Blaise. It's my pleasure, Heir Zabini.

The boy's eyes shifted from Draco to her, looking up and down at her discreetly and pausing for a few seconds to face the rings on her fingers.

\- Then Draco was gossiping again, for I would remember meeting such a beautiful lady. The pleasure is entirely mine, Miss ...? - The young man said, bending to kiss her hand. She raised an eyebrow, and the blond at her side looked strangely apathetic.

\- Cassiopeia, Cassiopeia Potter-Black-Slytherin.

Unlike the youngster Malfoy, who had been perplexed by her titles for at least five minutes, Blaise did not even hesitate. He smiled charmingly and straightened up, glancing at the boy who had accompanied her there.

\- I believe my friend escorted you here? - With her amused confirmation, he continued, watching the blond with a predatory look - Draco, Draco, Draco ... You know you can not keep a beauty like this just for you. Were not you going to introduce us?

\- Of course... not. Cassiopeia did not need a vulture surrounding her as if she were fresh meat. - He gave the dark-haired boy a smile that transpired falsehood.

\- Can you stop talking about me like I'm not here, gentlemen? - The two boys had the decency to look ashamed, but Cassy suspected that both had been trained to fake such behavior. - Draco, my dear, I am not a piece of flesh and I do not remember asking for your protection, although this is appreciated, but not against _interesting_ people. - She delineated the word "interesting" well, and young Zabini seemed to blossom in praise, the whole facade of shame now gone. - And Mr. Zabini, I do not think I belong to anyone to be held, I'm only recently in witch society.

The young lady, as she finished speaking, turned to the shelf again, ignoring the glances exchanged over her shoulders by the two heirs. Her eyes fell on a book with gold letters: "Customs and Greetings, the 101 Rules of a Witch Lady," written by Madame Potts. She did not recognize the author, but put the book in the basket.

\- So Lady Potter, if I may shorten your title, I see you're interested in books on ... pure blood culture. I have some more complete volumes at home, with some somewhat more ... controversial subjects. If you are interested, I can send them by owl for you. - Blaise said after clearing his throat quietly, breaking the silence that lingered between the three of them.

\- Of course, my dear. You can call me Cassiopeia, or Cassy, seeing my first name is a lot. My whole title is very long and complicated, and it still includes my future inheritances. - She gave him a dazzling smile.

\- So I insist that you call me Blaise, my lady. Would you mind my company? - The boy replied, smiling. Draco still seemed at all very bored with the whole exchange, or maybe it was because he had not been introduced to the girl's nickname. He made a mental note then, to create a different nickname just for him to use.

\- Of course not, _Blaise_. - The name flowed like honey through her tongue - Now, since I already have the schoolbooks, and I believe you will also use those of your family if you are smart as I think you are, what do you recommend as extra reading?

An hour later, her basket was filled with various books about ancient culture, laws, schools, countries, magic centers, wars, fables (the best way to know a folk is knowing their stories and their music) and relevant people.

The three then walked to the stationery part (was this also called in the magical world?). Different types of scrolls shone on the shelves: of all colors (some alternated between all the rainbows); some were being written with a quill, only for the ink to disappear a few seconds later; some were thin, others thick. Some made sounds, they seemed to read aloud.

There was a wide variety of quills, some simple and flat, some (like the Fwooper quills) more beautiful, others reinforced with magical properties. Numerous types of feathers were used, including pheasant, eagle, peacock and perhaps... that was Phoenix?

The young Potter, for the amusement of the two boys, acted like a girl of her own age, practically forgetting all her manners and assembling various things, which came from an adapted Muggle pen (it had the tip of a quill and was inlaid with swarovski crystals ) to a nightingale quill. In particular, a Quetzal quill, which because of its colorful plumage, was very fashionable (at least, that's what Blaise said).

Ink cartridges of all colors, with dull and invisible ink (even if the blonde had warned him that the teachers would allow at most the ink of the darker shade of the colors of the house they led, but in general, only black). Parchment enough to last a year (and a little more, but she would always make a few extra feet in her school essays, and her handwriting was too big ... or so she said to herself). She also bought boxes of red, yellow, green, gray and black wax, so she could seal her letters with her family stamps (depending on which person the letter would go).

Stamps, ribbons (for multicolored homework), design scrolls (for parchment), scissors (a list of common material would have one, and for good reason, magic scissors had protection spells to prevent people from inadvertently cutting themselves), tape glue-everything (she was graceful, but very prone to accidents), the magical variation of post-its (she would not give up her organization by color) and blotters came later, more like extras.

The two boys, despite having all this variety of things at home, indulged themselves with some new feathers with expensive beaks and two or three pots of rare-colored paint (it was quite common for limited batches of new color paints to be market as an experiment to see public acceptance).

An attendant, very happy with how much the girl was buying, smiled at her and came to her aid, putting her purchases in weightless bags and noting the products. The tag on her dusty apron read "Margaery Tyrell," and Cassy could not help but think she looked a bit like a squirrel, but pretty. She had a small, rounded nose and high cheekbones, her face framed by long brown hair, small medieval braids preventing them from falling on her face.

After putting the basket of books on the counter along with the bags, she smiled at the young woman, who was not much older than twenty.

\- So, how much did I spend? - She remembered seeing a percentage of the store in her blood test, but if she got what she wanted from the stores she had stocks for, she would not spend a penny of her money. She did not mind paying for these small things, or her clothes, but if she went to buy expensive things she could get for free, she would get it.

\- It was exactly seventy-three galleons, five sickles and two knuts. - The girl counted a hundred gold pieces from her purse and smiled at the older girl, seeing forgotten dreams amidst the dust of the books and wrinkles of almost painful and false smiles, given to rude strangers that she was obliged to attend to all days.

\- Keep the change - The brunette tried to refuse the money, but the redhead insisted, almost pushing the metal into her hands. - And if you're interested in a better job, say, as my secretary, and I really need one, send an owl to Lady Potter-Black.

The girl collected her purchases under Margaery's amazed gaze, and left the shop with the boys on her heels.

\- What was ... all this? - Said the Italian, confused, after ten seconds of silence between the trio. Cassy smiled smartly, and looked docilely at the boy.

\- Allied by fear, blackmail, or power can betray you, and probably will, at the slightest sign that you are weak, that your blackmail can be circumvented or that there is someone more powerful out there. But allies of gratitude and loyalty will let you kill their parents and applaud at the end. - The two boys began to realize the danger of a Hufflepuff, especially mixed with the blood of a snake, and both of them shivered.

They crossed the alley, again under curious glances speculating about the redhead and her escorts, mainly because the two boys were recognized among the higher circles as highly sought-after suitors, and marriage proposals were often sent by owls, on an almost daily basis, to their homes.

\- Now that we have our clothes and books, Draco, and I think you too, Blaise - The boy nodded - What is missing? Everyone present here probably has enough potion ingredients to fill three small houses, so what do you prefer: go look at our cauldrons, scales and telescopes, or animals? Let's leave our wands, the best part, for the end.

After everyone agreed (not before a bit of disagreement between Blaise and Draco, since the former seemed to live to provoke the blond) to go to the materials first, when they noticed that the animals probably weighed and made more noise.

The shop was dark, and there were cauldrons of all kinds. The youngest Malfoy was charmed by a diamond cauldron, which made little rainbows on the floor around him (the other boy had to hold his laughter for almost five minutes until the salesman pulled away and he could lean on a shelf next to him with Cassy), and Cassiopeia can not deny that the golden cauldron was unattractive. They finally resigned to the pewter, standard size number 2.

The trio, however, bought the most expensive set of crystal they found, with all the spells of resistance that could be put (and Draco complained until he could put a scintillating spell on his, though his godfather was not going to be very happy about it) . Also a telescope with improved approach spells, the two boys being the same (silvery, with traces of green that resembled snakes and slightly greenish lenses), and Cassiopeia being slightly different (it was completely silvery, with black lines at each opening).

The balances were of platinum, with weights of lead, markings of numbers indicating their weight of the same color of the scale; they paid the man behind the counter, a nice chubby red-cheeked man, almost bald, to engrave their full names at the base of all purchased items, and cast spells against theft and alteration.

\- For our wands now? I do not think Ollivander would allow animals in his shop. - They agreed, and this time the way to the store was filled with tales and laughter, especially about Draco's adventures with potions when he was younger and Blaise's travels to his mother's home country, descriptions of the land of wine and landscapes worthy of postcards.

-... and then we visited the Colosseum. Next summer, if you are interested, we can spend a week there; I'm sure you would love to see the monuments, Cassy. I know Draco saw it, but he would not mind going again, would he? - The boy in question just shook his head, memories of last summer with Blaise and Pansy in Italy still fresh in his head. He was sure his new friend would love it. The girl nodded.

\- I'm emancipated, but I do not think it's too hard to ask my aunt. I am sure that if another girl is going and we are supervised by at least one adult, she will not mind. - They all laughed.

\- Do not worry about your reputation, my mother will be there, and Lady Malfoy probably on an almost daily basis. Pansy will never miss a chance to travel. It's a shame she's not here, she'd love to meet you.

\- For all you talk about her, I'm sure it's mutual. - She smiled, genuinely eager to meet the famous Parkinson, who seemed to complete the other two.

The shop's display consisted of a solitary wand lying on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window. Peeling gold letters over the door of the shop read: _Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C._ Draco pushed open the old wood door, and it creaked before opening to revel a tiny, empty space except for a single, spindly chair in the corner. Thousands of narrow boxes containing wands were piled right up to the ceiling, and the whole place had a thin layer of dust about it, as if abandoned.

The three of them stepped in, footsteps lifting the dust off the floor and making Cassy cough softly. A very old man, with almost coriaceous, wrinkled skin and thinning white hair, a look almost haunted in pale blue eyes. His clothes were worn out and he smiled mysteriously at the sight of the trio.

\- Destiny has funny ways of playing with people. I was expecting the visit of the three today, I just did not expect them at the same time. That changes everything ... But I think I'm harassing you with my ramblings. I believe they are here for their wands ... Who will go first?

\- The ladies first, Cassiopeia. - Said Draco, teasing her with a fake bow.

\- So go ahead, Draco. - She said with the most polite smile she could give. Blaise snorted, and the blonde, although laughing internally, went ahead pretending to be offended.

\- Draco Malfoy... You know, I remember every wand I made. Narcissa Black, it was like yesterday that the middle Black sister was here together with , cherry, with unicorn core ... 10 1/2 inches, very good for spells ... A very flexible and protective wand. Lucius Malfoy, elm, a wand not at all flexible, the complete opposite of his mother's. Dragon heart core, 12 inches, very fickle, but good for transfiguration and defense of the dark arts. I think the wand is on his cane today? - The boy was a little startled, but nodded. The man then pulled out one of the boxes from one of the shelves and opened it, showing a not too long wand. - Guess you are ambidextrous? - The blonde nodded again, now freaked with the man's knowledge - Most of the pure blood children are.

\- Pine, phoenix core, 8 1/2 inches, more or less flexible, good for transfiguration. - Draco gave it a flick, and fire lighted in the man's desk.

\- No, no, I guess no. Try this, eleven inches, sequoia, unicorn hair core ... Very good for defense, flexible. - This time, the boy almost make Cassy dress on fire.

They tried ten more wands, without success. Draco was already starting to get angry, if the lines on his face were any sign. The boy next to the girl was holding her laughter biting her lower lip as she tightened her gloves into the pockets of her dress, the bags on the floor, and her body against the counter.

\- Try this, 10" in length, made of hawthorn wood, and unicorn hair core. Reasonably flexible, very good for defense and transfiguration. - Ollivander held out the new wand, and the blonde caught it awkwardly. Oddly enough, it fit perfectly between the boy's fine, long fingers. He waved, and a stream of wind swept through him, not messing with his hair just because of the absurd amount of gel that kept his blond hair glued to his head.

The younger Malfoy looked very pleased with himself. Cassiopeia then gave a slight nudge at Blaise, urging him forward.

\- Then you're next ... Of course, I did not have the pleasure of making your mother's wand, hers was a Gregorovitch creation. But since he is no longer in service, what we have here ... Ambidextrous too, I suppose ... Try this, sweet chestnut wood, unicorn hair. 11 inches, slightly flexible, good for runes and attack.

The young Zabini failed only five times, before a 9 1/2-inch oak wand with a dragon heart core, excellent for attack and charms, slightly flexible worked perfectly. Cassy was very happy with the development, since again her dress was in danger.

\- Now you, my lady. You look a lot like your mother, from the eyes to the hair, but without the freckles. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work. Your father, on the other hand, favors the mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favored it - it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course. But strangely, you look more like your godfather than your father. Sirius Black, I would never suspect that a boy so intelligent and different from his family would turn out to be a traitor. If Lily was not so faithful, I'd say it was not the adoption of blood that made you so ... Black.

The old man shook his head, like he was sad. Draco was strangely quiet, he knew the Imperius was what controlled his father, even if most people didn't believe. Blaise was neutral, and wasn't born in England, but he put his hand on the blond's shoulder, as support.

\- Try this, eight-inch, willow, dragon heart fiber core; Flexible, good for transfiguration.

Cassy passed a wand behind a wand, and none seemed right. She broke the counter, the windowpane, almost set fire to Draco's robes (a little revenge, she admitted to herself), and under the scrutiny of Blaise's laughter, she nearly destroyed one of the shelves. She managed to change her hair color two times (to blue and golden), rip one of her bags and a spell went out the broken window and knocked over a passerby.

Cassiopeia had waved what felt like every wand in the shop, until at last she had found the one that suited her — this one, which was made of holly, eleven inches long, and contained a single feather from the tail of a phoenix. Mr Ollivander had been very surprised that Cassy had been so compatible with this wand. "Curious," he had said, "curious," and not until they asked what was curious had the old man explaining that the phoenix feather in her wand had come from the same bird that had supplied the core of Lord Voldemort's.

\- The wand chooses the wizard. That much has always been clear to those of us who have studied wandlore... These connections are complex. An initial attraction, and then a mutual quest for experience, the wand learning from the wizard, the wizard from the wand... All happens for a reason, and I expect great things for you, Lady Potter, I don't know if they are good or bad, but great things any way. You know, this is your wand, but only one will work perfectly with a Peverell. Your blood claim for the greatest wand, and you shall gain it before you end the school.

\- Expect only neutral from me, sir. - They nodded for each other, and the trio payed their new wands (seven galleons for each), and walked outside, in the direction of the Magical Menagerie.

\- How this things only happen to you? - Said the blonde, still a bit astonished.

\- I don't know, my dear friend, but I guess is the pitfalls of being the Girl-Who-Lived. - The trio laughed, under the increasingly curious stares of the common people. Cassy was only luck that her scar was not that big, and anyone was smart enough to make her connection with her mom.

As the pet store was just across the street, none of them tried to start a conversation. Blaise opened the door and held it for the two of them to enter, even if he received a stomp on the foot, courtesy of Draco, for that. The place was tight, and the empty cages on the outside with a rotten plaque already gave the idea of what it would be. Several cages lined up with all kinds of animals: cats of all colors, kneazles with pointed ears, sleeping owls, bright slugs, frogs and salamanders dividing a gaunt tank, black and white rats, snails rising up the walls of a glass tank, snakes of all sizes (Cassy was almost sure to hear one of them talk), mini pigs with fat noses, pigeons piling up with tropical birds, cute puffskeins, huge eagles and even some dogs with two tails.

\- What do you want today, my lady and gentlemen? Maybe an owl to carry your mail, or a cat to keep you company in the winter? - Said a girl with her head slightly bent, the label on her apron naming her as "Myrcella," with no last name. Cassy knew she had a large part of the Magical Menagerie, and she could put that girl in the management, since the manager wasn't doing a very good job. The place was maltreated, and the smell was terrible. She was not disinterested in her work as Margaery, no, she caressed a cat carefully. The young Potter smiled to the blonde attendant.

\- Good morning, Miss. I want to look at some animals to take to Hogwarts, and seeing that the school has its own owls, I'd rather look at some cats ... And maybe a snake? - The clerk did not even hesitate ("proficient, and does not ask many questions," thought the young lady, with pleasure), and directed her to a shelf full of cages of cats of all sizes and colors.

\- You will be better satisfied with kitten, these are easier to cling to and train. These here already have training to do their needs in the right place. And it has the kneazle parts, who live a lot more and are much smarter. - She pointed to the larger cage on the right, where several kittens (part kneazles, seen by the most pointed ears and the longest tail) played with yarns of wool. Cassiopeia was immediately in love with an extremely hairy cat, so much so that the bright blue eyes were barely visible. It was larger than the others and entirely white. She pointed to it.

\- Oh, I see you like this one. It is a main coon cub with a kneazle. It does not have a name yet, and only forty days of life. The mother rejected it, so I did not have much life expectancy for her. You will have to feed with special milk, it will give some work for the next ten or fifteen days.

\- I want her anyway, let's see the snakes before closing the price. I will also need a cage, preferably as comfortable as possible, but also luxurious, platinum and silk, with heating charms. - She saw what she wanted in the top of a shelf, with small roses of white gold around the bars - All the best food she'll need at least until October, and a catalog for me to buy more then; two or three toys, although I'm sure she'll prefer a cardboard box, so not so expensive. - She looked around and pointed one fake magic mouse that moved around, a black fluffy ball and a never-ending rope scraper - They, and special milk, of course, as well as a hygienic sandbox, I'm sure there's a magic that cleans itself. - The girl said at once, while the woman took her to the snake's tanks, her friends looking at owls while she was in that.

\- Those are the snakes, miss.

 _~ How dare they arrest me here ... me? A flying snake, I need to climb, you pathetic humans. ~ -_ The voice came from the tank, a green snake trying to climb the tank. A black snake curled into a corner looked venomously at the girl.

 _~ I'd love to kill all of you, if I could just get out of this cage ... ~ -_ Said it, and Cassy laughed hard, to the surprise of everyone in the store.

~ _If you promise to kill just who I want you to kill, I can get you and your green colleague out of there. ~ -_ She said to the snake.

 _~ I do not care much about the little green thing. I promise you anything if you get me out of here and let me hunt something fresh. My name is Gefahr Hatari, but you can call me just Hatari, since less people know Swahili ~ -_ Ifsnakes could smile, it would be smiling, thought the girl while nodding.

\- Why did not you tell us you were a parselmouth ... well, I guess we should have guessed, Salazar's great-granddaughter or something ... - Said Draco, astonished and, at this point, a bit tired of all the surprises, through the silence.

\- And what would a parselmouth be? - She asked, confused.

\- A parselmouth is a person who can understand and speak to snakes. - Answered Blaise. - It's considered a bit... dark-ish in England, so I think it's better if you don't tell anyone, besides you. I doubt... - He stopped to read the attendant's name tag - Myrcella will tell anyone, or that anyone would believe her.

The surprises did not seem to end, and Cassy only sighed, shaking her head down. She looked into the eyes of the attendant, who seemed a little frightened, but more amazed by her present (it was obvious that the girl loved animals).

\- Do not tell anyone, or you can not only lose a chance to rise in life, but also more important things. - The young woman nodded, scared, and the Potter sighed - I want the black mamba in the tank, we have a deal. And also the flying snake. I'm going to need a large, glass tank with all the waterproof, anti-break and heating spells. And four dozen dead mice, with a spell of freshness, I do not intend to let go of Hatari all the time, much less in a school full of students. A book about snakes too, if possible. The poison extractor too. - She sighed again, rubbing her temple - Put the cat in his cage, give me the two snakes, and shrink the rest for me. How much did all this cost?

\- The cat cost fifteen galleons; enough milk for the next fifteen days, seven liters will be enough, then seven more galleons; enough food until October, there will be twenty galleons and ten sickles; the toys will be a galleon; - The young woman began reading from a list in her hand, written by a Quick-Quotes Quill, never losing the professionalism. - The cage, fifty galleons, and the permanent charm comes with a rune, then another eleven sickles; the sandbox, with all the charms, plus thirteen galleons. The two snakes will cost fifty galleons each; the tank, with all the protections, twenty; and the rats, plus two galleons per dozen. In all, there will be two hundred and thirty-five galleons and four sickles, my lady.

The girl took two hundred and fifty galleons from her purse and handed it to the young woman, who was packing the objects and transferring the cat from the common cage. She was half afraid to approach the tank, so Cassy stopped her.

\- The change is your tip, after all, I'm a good Londoner. You don't need to pick up the snakes, let me do this - Everybody laugh before the attendant turn herself to the boys. Meanwhile, the prospective student took the bags to add to her growing number (at least they had no weight). She took advantage that the boys were busy to put all the bags and the cage in the trunk, along with the mamba. The green snake, after a whispered agreement to let her go as soon as she found a green area, curled peacefully around her arm, and she wore one of her new robes, black with loose sleeves and gray cufflinks.

\- And what do you wish, gentlemen? - Draco stared at a black harpy ruffling her feathers, proud, her sharp claws scratching the fake nest she was in., while Blaise admired a lazy-looking Siamese cat, lying in his lonely cage.

They eventually bought the animals and the whole batch of accessories, before bidding farewell to the clerk and leaving the store, when Cassy realized she had only fifteen minutes.

\- Well, gentlemen, now I'm afraid I have to go to the pub: My "ride" waits for me, and I do not think he'd like my delay. Will you escort me there? - Draco gave her an exaggerated bow, and since his mother would also get him there, and Blaise would be coming home alone, they both agreed. The whispers of the people were largely ignored during their walk, since they had much more fun subjects to talk about.

 _(Draco didn't find Blaise's story about last summer any funny this time. It wasn't his fault that he didn't now how to swim!)_


	6. A Different Sorting

**Thanks for all followers and favs and reviews. Guess what? WEASLEYS (Ron's a git, sorry)**

 **If this chapter isn't out on Monday, it's all World Cup's fault.** **My country takes soccer seriously (maybe a little too seriously), and Monday has game, which means, I may be unable to finish on time. But I'm ignoring Croatia's game against Denmark (which will give me some complaints from my family, but that's fine), which means one more afternoon of writing.**

 **Disclaimer: Guess what? HARRY POTTER _ISN'T_ MINE. All rights reserved to J.K. Rowling and Warner. (I'm not earning anything with this fanfiction, just excelling my English, which is, at best, passable, and writing)**

* * *

 _ **ONE MONTH LATE**_

It had been a month since Cassiopeia had seen Blaise and Draco in the alley. She spent the last fifteen minutes of her shopping day drinking butterbeer with both boys at a table farther from the counter.

To the surprise of the girl, Professor Snape did not seem surprised at her companies, but pleased with himself, as if he knew something that no one else knew. He greeted the blonde, and it took only a long time for Lady Zabini and Lady Malfoy to enter the establishment, talking about the last gossip of the wizarding world (something about a man named Lockhart).

Both older women seemed happy to see the girl associating with their children, and a glance at Cassy's thin fingers was enough to make them look pensive.

They introduced themselves, bowing slightly, and the young Potter replied with a little less grace, seeing that she did not have the same practice of ladies' decays, but good enough for smiles to appear on their faces, smiles that only increased as she introduced herself (now the potions teacher seemed surprised, for as long as he knew James Potter, he had no idea he had any title other than Potter, and Lily, as far as he knew, had no wizard or squib ancestor , and they had searched actively and extensively in her fourth year).

They had to go then, noticing the amount of people increasing in the fall of the night, some retiring to sleep on the upper floors of the pub, and some sitting down to dinner or drinking with friends.

The return trip was short, and after the man helped her to put her trunk into the house, he handed her the ticket for the train, which indicated the platform 9 1/2, explaining quickly how to reach it (crossing a column of bricks).

The teacher disappeared into a "pop", and she, after waiting a few minutes to ensure that he would not return, released the green snake with the promise that she would go to Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which was not too far away and was the most conducive environment for a snake. She made the animal promise also not to leave the nature reserve because she could not save it again.

Then she entered the house and, under the attentive and curious gaze of her aunt, withdrew her purchases from the trunk. Petunia had her try on all the clothes, show all the colors of paint and caress the cat for a while (the kitten, having been abandoned by her mother, was devoid of touch, and purred very easily).

They ended up deciding together the name of the pet (it turned out to be Kralitsa, after much looking at dictionaries on Dudley's old computer).

Cassy did not show Hatari to her aunt because she knew she would not like this specific purchase (she knew it was dangerous to have made a deal with one of the most dangerous snakes in the world, she had read The Little Prince, thank you, and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was not joking when he decided to write drama, she just did not care).

Instead, she distracted the woman with Madame Malkins' catalogs, with magical perfumery and jewelry, and showing off her gloves (from silk, fur, satin, velvet and even dragon hide), socks for school and thick sleeping ), cloaks, dresses (the standard fashion of the wizarding world, that is, up to the ankles and beyond), garments and shoes (she did not buy the ones made of varnish or velvet because she had them in abundance, but the ones with resistance to mud and rain, galoshes, and leather boots, for she knew for a fact that Hogwarts was in Ireland, and probably had no asphalt there, since the wizards still used parallelepiped or cobbled streets).

And of course, her own school uniform. She bought six skirts, two of gray wool, two of black wool, and two pleats of cotton dyed gray, all knee-high. Six white shirts with buttons, three of cotton and three of silk; Two cardigans, one black and one gray (she refused to wear sweaters), all of V collar; A single pair of black tights, seeing that she had them at home; Four silk ties and two pointy hats (although Cassy bought other types of hat, such as those worn by British royalty, beautiful summer hats, and even one suitable for a funeral) The robes were lined with silk on the inside and velvet on the outside, her buttons had colored stones and crystals on them, since she would not resign herself to the standard cotton robes, or, Hecate would not allow, polyester.

The rest of the summer was spent in programs between her and her aunt (her uncle and cousin finally made the trip with detestable Aunt Marge to Majorca, and the two women spent August watching movies, going to the zoo or shopping, dancing, playing the piano and violin , playing with Kralitsa or just reading in the same room) and studying her new books of magic, all the customs and rules of pure blood (Cassiopeia sighed in relief when she realized she had not made any mistakes), owling her two new friends, taking care of her pets and packing her clothes (or at least the ones the girl thought she would need, that is, a fifth of her wardrobe) and personal belongings (thanks to Merlin the trunk was huge inside, otherwise it would be impossible to fit so much makeup, jewelry, books, clothes and portraits, as well as school material itself).

The most feared and awaited day for Cassiopeia came fast, August passing like leaves in the fall. When the girl noticed, her trunk was packed (Hatari in her tank inside one of the compartments), and in the living room; Kralitsa, or Kali, as the cat came to be called, was in its cage, her bright blue eyes staring at everything around her through the platinum bars; Her aunt was almost in tears at breakfast (especially with her favorite pancakes), and in a heartbeat, she was dressing to leave Surrey for the next three months.

She put on one of her finest gowns, a navy blue that was longer behind than the front (where it reached her knees), the pleated skirt was separated from the upright by a strip of the same color of the dress, shoulders covered by it transparent material of the dress she used to go to the alley, small vineyards embroidered along the collar and three-quarters sleeves. Beige pantyhose with varnished Mary Janes completed the outfit, and a pair of crystals adorned her ears, and of course the five family rings. Her red hair was smooth with small curls parting from the middle of her back to her thighs.

Then the young lady came down the stairs, face in a mixture of anxiety and fear. There was sadness there too, because she would not see her aunt (and practically best friend) for the next few months, and at Christmas it was very likely she would only see her for a week or two.

A bag of money was in the strip of her dress, and she took one of her long cloaks (of cashmere, lined with vicuna, with inner pockets and two silver buttons, the hood covering most of her face), which she had placed with the trunk, and dressed on her clothes, placing the wand (never used, because of age restrictions) in the inner pocket closest to her hand (she would buy a sheath the next time she went to Diagon Alley).

Petunia was waiting for her, in a tight dress, with long, tight sleeves and a high collar. Entirely black, velvet, it ended shortly after her bony knees. Her long neck seemed smaller, and she wore little makeup, just enough to accentuate her small lips. Her blond hair fell in waves to her waist, since she had not cut them once since the girl came to live with her.

The older woman threw a black overcoat over her shoulders, pulling on a pair of black gloves. The girl, as in a farewell ritual, slowly put on her own gloves, the same color as her dress. Without saying anything to each other, they took the trunk and the cat to Petunia's car (Vernon decided to extend the vacation for another week, to "relax with Dudley, for the poor boy was going to a new phase in life." Obviously he did not worry at all that his niece would not be back for three months).

The belongings were placed in the backseat, and without any word Petunia drove to King's Cross while Cassy fiddled with the tip of her dress. Every noise made them both jump, so they looked at each other and returned to silence. The Muggle parked the car, and helped the little witch carry her things to the barrier that would separate them.

\- So ... - The older woman said, clearing her throat, her fingers firmly wrapped around the handle of the trunk - I guess that's it. I can not go beyond here.

\- Yes ... I think it is. - Cassiopeia felt her voice tighten, the tears insisting to emerge in her eyes the same color as the curse that killed her parents. Parents who, somewhere beyond heaven and infinity, were smiling as they watched their daughter enter their world. The girl then felt the pressure to hit like a huge rock: She was leaving for the first time without the guidance of her aunt to put into practice everything she had learned in the last years. A sob escaped her lips, and she ran into the open arms of the woman who had raised her as a mother. - Auntie ... I'm scared... I'm so scared...

\- I know, my little star. But there is nothing to fear. - The words were filled with tears, and one of the woman's pale hands caressed the red hair of the girl's hair, pulling them away from her face and giving her a smile. - You will do perfectly, and if not, I assure you: There will be no problem. You're just a girl, the most precious girl to me.

\- But ... But ... But ... what if I scream at someone important? Or lose control of my temper? Or do not make any real friends?

\- Believe me, they will love you. You're the best kid I've ever met. You do not have to be afraid. I'll be here when you come back. - The woman smiled at the girl and kissed her forehead, before wiping the tears and turning her towards the barrier.

\- Do you promise? - Cassy looked at her aunt with a serious look.

\- I promise. Now, go. It's time. - The young woman walked towards the brick wall, recovering her cold expression and erasing the vestiges of tears. - Goodbye my dear niece. - She whispered to herself, seeing the girl go.

\- Goodbye my dear aunt - On the other side of the barrier, the girl whispered back.

Regaining her composure, Cassiopeia walked to the train, and tried unsuccessfully to lift the trunk (not that it was so heavy, but it was larger than her arms). Two boys, twins with bright red hair, came toward her with double bright smiles. She did not know though that they were wandering around to stay away from their family ("Bunch of extortors, all looking for young Potter just because of her fame and money, poor thing. I hope Ronald has not found her yet, that idiot, always following what our mother says, good for nothing" were their identical thoughts as Fred and George watched their family making plans to approach the girl, under " Dumbledore's advice, since she would need a good witch family to guide her").

\- Need help with that, miss? - Said the tallest - I'm Gred, and this is Forge ...

\- ... And we are Fred and George! - She laughed lightly at the two boys' antics.

\- The pleasure is all mine, gentlemen. I'm Cassiopeia, but you can call me Cassy. - One of them grabbed her right gloved hand and kissed it, while the other did the same with her left. They also pretended not to notice the amount of rings on her fingers, or the scar on her forehead, and so she was very happy. Then they hurried to push her trunk up onto the train and into an empty compartment as she carried the cage with Kali.

\- Thank you very much, gentlemen. - She smiled to them, and, to her amusement, they bowed in synchronize.

\- Pleasure is all ours, my lady. Now, we have to go. And we warn you, for your welfare: Lock the cabin door and do not let our little brother in. He has no manners, and is full of himself. Ronald is your age, and very much like us physically. If he shows up, pretend to be asleep. - They winked while she laughed, and left to mislead their family about her localization. She was such a great girl, and George thought she was very pretty. Because of this, he blushed. Fred just laughed, knowing exactly what was on his twin's mind.

She did as she was told, locked the door and took a book from her trunk. Then the girl closed the window and let go of Kali, who hurried to lie down comfortably beside her. She had barely gone through five pages when knocks were heard at the door. She glanced at who she was, and saw a boy who matched the description of the twins. He was red, freckled, and tall, and his nose was dirty, which disgusted her. He ignored the knock on the door, though the boy grew more and more insistent, and for a few seconds she thought he would try to break into the cabin.

Cassiopeia rolled her eyes, and kept reading, but the boy did not seem to give up. If she was at Hogwarts, she would try to use a spell of silence, but she did not want to see the consequences of her mistakes.

To his apparent salvation, a very familiar blond boy came down the corridor, flanked by an Italian and a girl with short, straight black hair, the fringe falling in her eyes. Draco saw the scene unfolding in front of him and gave Weasley a look of disapproval, a look that turned cold and filled with anger when he noticed exactly in the booth of whom the redhead was trying to enter.

\- Get out of here, Weasel. Of course she does not want to talk to you. Is your family already poor enough to rob Cassiopeia? - Ronald's fist tightened - Or did you come to beg? - He said with disdain.

\- And you think she'd want to... - Before the boy could complete his sentence, there was a click of metal against metal. Cassy pushed the latch off the door and opened it, standing in the doorway of the cabin, arms folded pulling the cloak closer.

\- Draco, darling, what are you doing standing there? Do not you know it's impolite to leave a lady waiting? - She frowned to the blonde, before smiling at the three of them. Blaise kissed her hand, smiling. - Blaise, always the gentleman. - The short-haired girl laughed behind the white glove that covered her hand, which contrasted well with her white fur coat and light green dress.

\- And I believe you are Pansy Parkinson? The boys did not stop talking about you. - She bowed slightly, smiling bigger at the beautiful face of the future Slytherin.

\- You can be sure that the Lady was the only subject among our group of friends. Astoria was jealous. - Cassy vaguely remembered the mention of the younger Greengrass, and the girl seemed very arrogant if she thought she could rival the young lady.

\- I do not see why. It's not as if a ... Second born could compare to me in any way. - Pansy looked away not to laugh, but there was a funny chuckle. She had never really liked the younger brunette girl, who was going to be ten years old in two weeks, and was already wearing makeup enough to rival a clown for the purpose of attracting the attention of older pureblood heirs or lords.

\- Come in soon, it's cold here and I can not stand the presence of the plebs.

She entered again, and the three purebloods followed, laughing silently at the shocked face of the inconvenient boy. Pansy was the last to come in, and quietly locked the door behind her.

\- Well, this guy was really inconvenient. Thank you for saving me. - She stroked her cat's head as the three newcomers put their trunks up. - And, really, it's a pleasure to meet you, Heiress Parkinson.

\- The pleasure is all mine, Lady Potter-Black-Slytherin. - She bowed slightly.

\- First of all, call me Cassy, or Cassiopeia. - Pansy smiled, now cherishing Kali herself.

\- You can call me Pans then. I heard a lot about you.

\- Draco was gossiping again, was not he? He is such an old lady sometimes. - Everybody laughed, except for the boy in question, who blushed.

\- Draco gossips more than I do, and he has not stopped talking about you since he first met you, it's a little bit boring. If I start talking about birds, he can redirect the subject to you. - Cassiopeia glanced at Draco, who blushed even more furiously at Blaise's laughter.

\- No ... it's not ... no ... It's not quite that way ... not quite, okay? - They stifled a laugh at Draco's vehement protests. - I just ... I just commented ... because ... because ... because of the titles, that's why!

\- And what does the hair "red as the roses of the mansion" and the eyes "as green as the French fields" have to do with it? - Said Blaise, teasing the blonde, and the redhead blushed and cleared her throat.

\- It is good to know that he holds me in such high esteem. - She smothered - Blaise also talked a lot about you, without stopping, if you want to know the truth, Pans. - It was the Italian's turn to blush as the blonde laughed. Cassiopeia sighed relieved to divert the attentions of the others.

The girls then began gossiping, young Potter eager to learn more about everything that was going on. She could have read a lot, but she still did not have a Witch Weekly or Prophet signature.

Subjects ranged from celebrities ("Did you read about Lockhart?" "Yeah, I know who he is." "He's very handsome, but I do not believe half his books." "It's a bit absurd and he does not prove with anything. Also, he looks a little ... perverted"), to other students ("I think I saw one that looked like a squirrel with a nest of birds in place of her hair" "I saw a boy trembling from his own shadow" "The Weasleys are not all bad, the twins warned me of the younger brother and they helped me with the trunk in the train" "Perhaps not all the fruits of the tree are rotten, I have learned that the two older brothers have respectable jobs in Gringotts and in Romania" "Running away from home?" "I would run too, and far away") passing by their disgust for the uniform ("It's horrendous" "I know!" "The skirt is rude and her size is completely wrong" "It's too long to be a pleated skirt, and too short to be traditional" "The shirt and tie are acceptable, I think" "I agree, but the socks ... ridiculous ... Black tights ... with Mary Janes ... I prefer beige, they're more natural." "And the hat? I'm not even going to start with how stereotyped it is." "And I refuse to wear the coarse wool sweaters, just cashmere cardigans") and then, scheming in whispers ("We are a bit too young to boys, but I heard that you need a good suitor" "Yes, sadly" "Or, you could be under the protection of a house bigger than yours. I do not think your parents would object if the "Noblest and Old House Black" gave you protection, Pans").

While the girls talked and exchanged tips on spells, family and hair (Pansy's hair was short because she, in an act of rebellion from which she regretted too much, cut her hair and was still punished for it, since the treads refused to grow back), the boys were playing chess, sometimes looking at the whispering girls warily ("Who knows what they're scheming")

The candy cart passed, and as the boys filled their trunks with sweets, the girls picked up only licorice wands and chocolate frogs, since they would both get packages home the other day (before going to bed today, Cassy would send an owl to his aunt, who had promised to send La Cure Gourmande chocolate, and some Belgian chocolate as well as weekly jelly packs).

A girl (with squirrel teeth and hair like a bird's nest, just as Pansy described it), tried to open the door unceremoniously, and seeing that it was locked, looked a little irritated before moving on.

Soon a monitor knocked on the doors, and Draco opened. The boy, with red and freckled hair, told them to change, and he was angry when the blond (already tired of Weasleys) nodded and slammed the door.

The boys went into another compartment to change, while the girls lowered the shutters of the door and exchanged their beautiful dresses for the school clothes. Her uniforms were identical, except that Pansy's shoes were low-heeled and she wore satin gray stockings that went above her knee, while Cassy's shoes were flat, and her black silk socks only ran down the middle of her calf. They put the robes (those of Pansy with black stones serving as buttons and those of Cassy with small crystals) and the redhead locked Kali on her cage again, feeling the cold autumn wind to hit them as soon as they went to the hall to find the boys.

Not finding the two heirs among the students who crowded out of the train, stumbling on their own feet and squeezing on the doors, they headed for the nearest exit. For some reason (possibly their bearing, or the lightness with which they walked), the girls were spared from being pushed around.

They went down the stairs of the station exit (which Cassy found very friendly, with golden lights hanging from a brick wall, although with autumn coming, it was quite cold, since the season was open from end to end), and were greeted by an irregular path, full of stones covered with greenish slime. Muddy puddles piled up amidst the flaws of the earth, and a friendly village shone behind them, smoky chimneys that mingled with the fine mist that covered the stars.

They walked, together and with identical faces of disgust, for a few seconds before they spotted the man who was leading the students. He looked simply too big to be allowed, much more than eleven feet, and so wild - long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. He wore worn-out leather clothes, a belt so wide it could serve as a collar for a hippogriff, and a black fur coat that, though it was atrocious, Cassy envied, for it was too cold for the fine school clothes. His eyes were bright in the light of the lantern he held, and the black orbs seemed to search desperately for something in the crowd.

His eyes fixed on the young maiden, and they seemed to be filled with happiness, and then, apprehension as he noticed her company. They reverted again to joy, though with a little concern.

The wizard ("Probably with giant blood ... I have nothing against half-races, but this was firmly on the side of the Dark Lord in the last war, moreover ... they are not recognized for their exceptional intelligence") smiled at her , yellowish and rotted teeth. The girl shivered, frightened, as he placed one of his enormous hands on her shoulder.

\- 'Assy, that's the girl! So high now ... Almos' a woman. When I las' saw yeh, yeh was jus' a baby ... tha' nasty night ... yer parents, a big tragedy ... I've never met a men as...

What he thought of James Potter (assuming it was this man he was going to speak to), we will never know, for at that moment a cold voice came up behind Cassiopeia, pulling the girl gently by the hand away from the older man and entwining his arm with hers.

\- Stay away from my friend, your pathetic half-giant. Can not you see that you're making her uncomfortable? Is your blood so dirty that it is contaminating your brain? - Said a familiar blonde, his hand now in her arm to stabilize her.

Pansy, noticing the interaction between the tall man and the young Black, searched Draco desperately for the crowd. Thanks to Merlin, the blonde was waiting for them to embark on one of the weak wooden boats that were to take them to the other shore of Black Lake. The heiress Parkinson nodded at him, and, seeing the situation the other girl was in, the boy practically marched in fury toward the Keeper of Keys.

\- Not Draco, I think he was only knocked over many times as a kid. Probably from the father, since I have heard that giant mothers abandon their weaker children. Or maybe he no longer has the ability to use magic has made him more stupid. - The answer was given by Blaise, equally enraged. He had spent a month communicating with the girl by letters, not so much as Draco, but enough to consider her as one of his friends.

\- Come on, Cassy. Let's not be late for this ... _creature_. - The brunette girl said, grimacing in disgust. The redhead seemed to regain her composure, and looked up and down at the man.

\- Do not ever touch me again. If you ever need to talk to me again, you'll call me by my title. I do not need you to tell me about my parents, I have no interest in your friendship, and you will remember your place when you are in my presence. - She cocked her nose and headed for the boats, her friends (and how nice it was finally to have people who would protect her besides her aunt) by her side.

\- Everyone in? - shouted Hagrid after a few minutes, which he passed looking rather embarrassed - Right then - He made a move with a strange pink umbrella - FORWARD!

They sat quickly on the old wood of the boats, and were allowed to be carried away by the magic and the currents of water to the incredible sight that was Hogwarts. The castle where they would live for most of the next seven years was splendid. Magnificent, sensational, fantastical, fabulous, amazing, whaling, spectacular, extraordinary, phenomenal, admirable are just a few adjectives that could describe the beauty of the place at night, the candlelight of the Great Hall leaving this to dimly illuminate the outside of the walls. Tall towers seemed to interweave with smaller towers, bridges, buildings, staircases, and ... Was it an overpass or an aqueduct?

The water of the lake reflected the pale lights, and the closer they came from the other shore, the more laughter of the last pupils descending from the carriages, the louder the footsteps and lively speeches of those who were already sitting down for the first banquet of the year.

Boys in blue ties were mingling with yellow-stocked girls, and a girl coming out of a boat with a green bow pinning back her hair looked ugly at a frightened boy with sandy hair looking for something with the help of a girl with reddish-brown hair.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out.

The boys got off the boat first, stabilizing on the slippery banks of the Lake for a few seconds before reaching out to the girls.

Blaise helped young Parkinson, who, slightly unbalanced by the silty stones, wriggled a little, but was held by the taller. She put a hand on his left arm, as it was a tradition of pure blood, and followed him up the stairs to the antechamber of the Great Hall. Draco did the same with the redhead, and she smiled at him, the other hand holding the edges of the robe so that it does not get dirty.

The two pairs came together in a small group, like many others around them. Many children came from friendly families, or made friends on the train. They were gathered in groups of three or four, and at least seventy children chatted happily.

The quartets were quietly commenting on their new colleagues. Draco and Pansy knew most of them.

* * *

 _"- Susan Bones, Amelia Bones' niece, from DMLE... I heard she lived with her uncle, Edgar..."_

 _"- They're the most powerful badgers I know. Even my father knows Amelia Bones is fair and dangerous."_

* * *

 _" - Hannah Abbott, daughter of Giffard Abbott II, an Unspeakable"_

 _"- It's a difficult job, and I heard her mother drinks around because her husband is never home"_

* * *

 _" - Terry Boot, son of Webster Boot III, seeker of Puddlemore United"_

 _" -_ _He's getting old, but he already has millions in his account."_

* * *

 _" - Mandy Brocklehurst, daughter of a very famous Scottish tailor"_

 _"- She is awful, a sycophant through and through"_

* * *

 _"- Millicent Bulstrode, the daughter of a family of purebloods without money"_

 _"- She is always after me. I cannot even tolerate her, and her troll of a mother thought we were friends! Like I would ever play one of her eating games."_

 _"- You're just sore she won last time"_

 _"- She never lost in anything that involve food"_

* * *

 _"- Crabbe and Goyle, no brains, lots of muscle"_

 _"- And more or less Draco's bodyguards"_

* * *

 _"- Tracey Davis, a half-blood from a poorly influential family"_

 _"- She is such a gossip"_

 _"- You love her"_

 _"- I would love her more if she stop being Daphne's fawner"_

* * *

 _"- Theodore Nott and Daphne Greengrass, I've told you about them in the Alley"_

 _"- He seems nice enough. She looks like a ponce"_

 _"- I love her hair."_

 _"- Just because is suchlike yours"_

* * *

They were beginning to comment on Anthony Goldstein, when a cough was heard from the gate. All the voices fell silent, and they turned to the sound. The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Cassy's first thought was that she was not someone to cross. Her hair was tied in a tight bun, and she wore thin, silver-rimmed glasses.

\- The firs' years, Professor McGonagall - said the idiot giant, from somewhere behind them.

\- Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here.

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit a whole house in it, maybe more. Cassy thought that if the castle could have the same expanding spells than her trunk, this place would be difficult to walk through. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, if not a bit more warm, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Cassiopeia could hear the drone of hundreds of voices even more loud from a doorway to the right, but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously. Some of them tried to best their looks, but a lot just looked plain scared.

\- Welcome to Hogwarts - said Professor McGonagall. - The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. - She stopped a minute, and the young Potter could swear the severe-looking teacher was glancing at her all the time.

\- The four houses are called Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. - "From the worst to the best", thought Cassy - Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

\- The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting.

Her eyes lingered for a moment on the scrawny boy with the toad cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Weasley's smudged nose. Cassy straightened her skirt and the robes, which were slightly fallen to one side, and replaced her black gloves, putting the rings over them. Pansy and she helped each other fix their hair. Soon, they straightened and put the cool masks in place, which was quickly mimicked by Draco and Blaise.

\- I shall return when we are ready for you - said Professor McGonagall. - Please wait quietly.

Some would talk in a low voice, wondering how they would be "sorted," and whether it would hurt or not. The young lady smiled disdainfully. It was obvious that no one had opened a book, and the wizarding parents did not bother to prepare their children.

Then something happened that made her jump about a foot in the air, several people behind screamed. Draco laughed briefly, and she glared to him, but it has no heart in it. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing.

\- Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance... - What looked like a fat little monk was saying. She remembered it from her mother's journal.

\- My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost... I say, what are you all doing here? - A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years.

\- We're about to get sorted, mister. - Cassiopeia answered, smiling to the monk-ghost. A few people nodded mutely, agreeing with her.

\- New students! - said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. - And who are you?

\- Cassiopeia, Mister. - She omitted her surname on purpose, so that the clash between the masses of students would be greater, even though many stared suspiciously at her forehead covered by a lock of hair, and the pure bloods looked at her hands in admiration.

\- It's been a long time since someone from Hufflepuff blood walked these walls. - said the Friar. - My old house, you know.

\- Move along now - said a sharp voice. - The Sorting Ceremony's about to start. - Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.

\- Now, form a line - Professor McGonagall told the first years - And follow me.

Cassy got into line behind a boy with sandy hair, with Draco behind her, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

She had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place, even after reading all her mother's descriptions and books, but nothing would compare to the real experience. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them.

The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Cassiopeia looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars, where she found her constellation (when she was six, she used to search it everyday). The young Potter heard the girl with mad hair and squirrel teeth whisper ("Its bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."), and heard Draco scowl to the muggle born. She had read "Hogwarts, A History" too, but wasn't being a insufferable know-it-all. Maybe that girl would get better with time.

It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens and above, the stars looked like they were doing a private show just for the students. Falling stars cut the sky in flashes, and Cassy smiled as the rising moon signaled another beginning of a new cycle.

She quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Aunt Petunia wouldn't have let it in the house, and neither would she. But she knew exactly what it would do, so, when the hat twitched, she didn't flinch like some others. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth - and the hat began to sing:

 _"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

 _But don't judge on what you see,_

 _I'll eat myself if you can find_

 _A smarter hat than me._

 _You can keep your bowlers black,_

 _Your top hats sleek and tall,_

 _For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

 _And I can cap them all._

 _There's nothing hidden in your head_

 _The Sorting Hat can't see,_

 _So try me on and I will tell you_

 _Where you ought to be._

 _You might belong in Gryffindor,_

 _Where dwell the brave at heart,_

 _Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

 _Set Gryffindors apart;_

 _You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

 _Where they are just and loyal,_

 _Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

 _And unafraid of toil;_

 _Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, if you've a ready mind,_

 _Where those of wit and learning,_

 _Will always find their kind;_

 _Or perhaps in Slytherin_

 _You'll make your real friends,_

 _Those cunning folk use any means_

 _To achieve their ends._

 _So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

 _And don't get in a flap!_

 _You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

 _For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again. The song was horrible catchy, and Cassy started to sing it in her mind

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

\- When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted - she said. - Abbott, Hannah!

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails, who they were talking about early, stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moments pause after...

\- HUFFLEPUFF!- shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Cassy saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.

\- Bones, Susan! - The niece of Amelia and Edgar Bones sat on the stool, more graceful than her friend.

\- HUFFLEPUFF! - shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

\- Boot, Terry!

\- RAVENCLAW!

The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; Cassy could see the Weasleys twin brothers catcalling.

"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin. Pansy, behind her, sighed.

\- Looks like I'll have to put up with her for the next seven years.

\- Finch-Fletchley, Justin!

\- HUFFLEPUFF!

Sometimes, Cassy noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide. "Finnigan, Seamus," the sandy-haired boy next to her in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.

\- Granger, Hermione!

The insufferable girl almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.

\- GRYFFINDOR! - shouted the hat. She smiled. Far, far away from her.

When Neville Longbottom (she remembered her godmother was a Longbottom too, maybe that was her son?), the scrawny boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with him. When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR" Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag."

Draco swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"

The blonde went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself. He winked at Cassy, and she smiled.

There weren't many people left now. "Moon" (who went to Ravenclaw); "Nott" (the hat lingered for about two minutes, before shouting Slytherin); "Parkinson" (Pansy joined Draco after twenty seconds); then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil" (one for Ravenclaw, one for Gryffindor); then "Perks, Sally-Anne" (a badger) and then, finally...

\- POTTER-BLACK, Cassiopeia

As Cassy stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

 _"- Potter, did she say?"_

 _"- The Cassiopeia Potter?"_

 _"- Black? As in Sirius Black?"_

The last thing Cassy saw before the hat dropped over her eyes was the hall full of people craning to get a good look at her. Next second she was looking at the black inside of the hat. She waited.

\- So ... A Potter, a Black, a Peverell, a Slytherin, a Hufflepuff. Many names ... Courage, yes, but not audacious or defiant, no. You walk in the shadows, your whispers are more dangerous than your fists. - A voice said in her head. She smiled.

\- Smart, but prefers to use the knowledge than to save it. I truly would love to have had the chance to meet your aunt in person.

\- It's reciprocal, I'm sure. She always wanted to be a witch when she was younger. But... where am I going?

\- Anxious, Miss Potter? - said the amused hat

\- Of course, Mr. Hat. - she answered, cheekily.

\- I'd love to be able to sort you out, Miss Potter. - The girl frowned. What? Could not he put her in a house? Draco's words ("You'll be separated from us, poor mortals") came back to her mind, and she thought briefly about them, before the voice of the Hat came back. - But your blond friend is right. And I have to follow the school rules.

\- LADY SLYTHERIN, HEIR HUFFLEPUFF - He shouted, and the school, before whispering, was completely silent, while her tie was divided into green, gray, yellow and black.

She stood up, and looked at the silent student body. Then, one by one, all Slytherins and Hufflepuffs got up and bowed.

Cassiopeia smiled.

This was definitely the beginning of a new era.


End file.
